


Is it fluff or is it angst?

by ShutUpAndTakeMyMoney



Series: Lucas' series of random fic ideas [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Aftermath, Alien Abduction, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Matt, Alien Pidge | Katie Holt, Alien Planet, Alien Politics, Alien Rituals, Allura & Keith (Voltron) Friendship, Allura & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Altea (Voltron), Altean Keith (Voltron), Altean Kolivan (Voltron), Altean Krolia (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Cats, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Lilo & Stitch Fusion, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Neko Atsume Fusion, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Amnesia, Amputation, Androids, Angry Keith (Voltron), Animal Death, Animal Instincts, Animal Traits, Aquariums, Archaeology, Balmeran Hunk (Voltron), Big Brother Kosmo (Voltron), Bittersweet, Blind Keith (Voltron), Blood, Blood and Gore, Body Swap, Bombs, Cannibalism, Captivity, Cat Keith (Voltron), Cat Lance (Voltron), Cat/Human Hybrids, Cave-In, Centaur Hunk, Chains, Champion Shiro (Voltron), Chimera Shiro, Collars, Comedy, Confusion, Coping, Coran knows all, Creepy, Cult Leader Allura, Cults, Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Dark, Dark Shiro (Voltron), Dehumanization, Dehydration, Demigod Keith, Demon Hunters, Demon Keith (Voltron), Denial, Descent into Madness, Dolphins & Whales, Dragon Keith (Voltron), Dragons, Drowning, Druid Keith (Voltron), Druids, Episode: s01e09 Crystal Venom, Episode: s06e05 The Black Paladins, Experimentation, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fae Pidge | Katie Holt, Fairy Lance, Fairy Matt, Fantastic Racism, Feral Behavior, Fictional Religion & Theology, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Future, Galaxy Garrison, Galra Allura (Voltron), Galra Coran (Voltron), Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Lance (Voltron), Gardens & Gardening, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Genetic Disorders & Abnormalities, Geology, Ghost Keith (Voltron), Ghost Shiro (Voltron), Gladiators, Good Lotor (Voltron), Government Agencies, Government Conspiracy, Government Experimentation, Hallucinations, Harry Potter AU, Hearing Voices, Homeless Keith (Voltron), Hostage Situations, Human Allura (Voltron), Human Coran (Voltron), Human Experimentation, Hunk (Voltron) Angst, Hunk (Voltron) is a Mess, Hunter (Voltron) Allura, Hurt Shiro (Voltron), Immigration & Emigration, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Implied/Referenced Torture, Infidelity, Insecure Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) Being a Little Shit, Keith (Voltron) Dies, Keith (Voltron) Moves on, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith (Voltron) was Raised by the Blade of Marmora, Kid Fic, Kid Hunk (Voltron), Kid Keith (Voltron), Kid Lance (Voltron), Kid Pidge | Katie Holt, Kidnapping, Kings & Queens, Laboratories, Lactose Intolerant Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Language Barrier, Lilo and Stitch References, Little Mermaid Elements, Lonely Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mad Scientist Keith (Voltron), Magical Realism, Marmora are a wolf pack, Marriage of Convenience, Matchmaking, Mer Hunk, Merperson Keith (Voltron), Merperson Lance (Voltron), Mind Meld, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Muzzles, Naga Keith (Voltron), Nesting, Non-Consensual Touching, Non-Sexual Slavery, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Obsessive Behavior, Olkari Pidge | Katie Holt, One-Sided Keith/Shiro (Voltron), One-Sided Relationship, One-sided Curtis/Shiro, Original Character(s), Other, Pidge | Katie Holt Angst, Pidge | Katie Holt is a Mess, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pirate Keith (Voltron), Platonic Relationships, Police, Police Officer Keith (Voltron), Possession, Possessive Behavior, Prince Keith (Voltron), Prophetic Visions, Protective Hunk (Voltron), Punishment, Quantum Abyss (Voltron), Racism, Rehabilitation, Religion, Restaurants, Role Swap, Sacred Trees, Sad, Scared Keith (Voltron), Sharks, Shiro (Voltron) Angst, Shiro (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Shiro (Voltron) Has Issues, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron) Has a Clone, Shiro (Voltron) in the Astral Plane, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, Shiro (Voltron) is a jerk, Sickfic, Sirens, Slave Keith (Voltron), Soft Keith (Voltron), Space Pirates, Space Whales, Spirit Shiro, Spirits, Stars, Starvation, Stranded, Stubborn Keith (Voltron), Stubborn Lance (Voltron), Stuttering, Temporary Blindness, Temporary Character Death, Tired Shiro (Voltron), Torture, Transformation, Traumatized Keith, Vampire Allura (Voltron), Vampire Coran (Voltron), Vampire Hunk (Voltron), Vampire Hunters, Vampire Lance (Voltron), Vampire Matt, Vampire Pidge | Katie Holt, Vampire Shiro (Voltron), Vampires, Violence, Voltron Lions as Dragons, War, Weddings, Werewolf Keith (Voltron), Werewolves, Witch Allura (Voltron), Witch Shiro (Voltron), Worship, fae matt, fairy hunk, fairy pidge | katie holt, half fairy keith, mer lance, raised by wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2020-03-02 09:40:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 97
Words: 97,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShutUpAndTakeMyMoney/pseuds/ShutUpAndTakeMyMoney
Summary: A compilation of fanfic ideas i don't have the ability to write as fully on my own as I wish but still want to share!Feel free to adopt or adapt any of these ideas, you are completely welcome to!





	1. My heart stutters for you (Klance)

Keith is selectively mute by his own choice, due to bullying and mistreatment towards his stuttering problem, of course the constant bullying amde the stutter worse. (cause his fear that he will stutter when he talks makes him stutter more)

Keith is now in high school and hasnt spoken in several years, he now does what he can not to draw attention to himself.  
Enter lance, who transfers into the school late, he runs into keith and is immediately offended when keith doesnt talk to him. Keith is mostly just shocked lance talks so much and is kinda secretly amazed lance didnt stumble over any of his words.

Time passes and keith, who is in the middle of having a bad day runs into lance, who probably stalks him with his self imposed rivalry. Keith not having the patience to deal with lance yells at him to "JUST SHUT UP" and that is enough to shock both lance and keith.

Keith then decides that lance somehow is the reason he didnt stumble over his words, his in the moment arguements with lance are the only times he doesnt stutter(probably because he is too worked up to focus on the fact he should be worried about stuttering)

Now keith begins to secretly adore lance cause he is the only person he can literally talk to without stuttering and that is a big deal to him, but lance on the other hand believes keith hates him cause they only talk when they argue or fight.

Mind you, the stutter isnt magically cured by love or anything... that would be nonsense...

And when keith finally gets the guts to talk to lance and confess without arguing, he is a blushing stuttering mess and lance finds that adorable.


	2. The champion of the arena (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if shiro was never human?

Shiro is an android build by haggar to track the lions by reverse enginering the black bayard the zarkon has and the red lion that is in the empires custody. He is basicly a robot slave to haggars will and is super traumatized but it is all he knows.

Keith is a halfbreed soldier in the empires command, because of his hotheaded attitude and habit of helping those the empire wishes to subligate he is demoted to work under the druids as an assistant or something like that.

The empires arena is where haggar sends shiro for combat tests, so he is still the champion and gladiator he was in canon.

Keith first sees shiro when he fetches him from the arena, imagine his surprise when the droid he was sent to fetch, looks nothing like a droid, but like an alien with a glowing droid arm.(he is also covered in alien blood but like cut him some slack his life sucks) Keith is hotheaded and standoffish cause of the racism he gets dayly for being a halfbreed. So when he meets shiro and shiro isnt hostile, he is like "????????" because one would expect a killer droid the druids built and haggar is in charge of would be vicious and bloodthirsty, but nah, shiro is chill.

Over time keith comtinues to get caught off guard by shiros nice and open behaviour, why hes nice to keith but stoic most other times? probably noticed keiths shit treatment, or his connections to the red lion made him sense keiths potential, or hes just lonely and keith seemed a good target for a friend?

Haggar starts a new step in testing the "kuron project" to make shiro more vicious, cause she obvious noticed his hesitance to cause harm. Kuron project is bad news and shiro is kinda panicking inside, when keith catches wind he also gets panicky cause shiro is the only person who is openly kind to him.

So they plan a break out! But of course the plan goes terrible cause BOM interrupts and takes the spotlight, (damnit Ulaz, shiro and keith were gonna do the thing...) So during their escape attempt of over taking the gaurds on the way out of the arena, ulaz just blows the ship up, he set off charges, cause he is dramatic. And Ulaz cuts them off from getting cornered by sentries and tells them they need to plan better cause shiro is a robot and haggar has failsafes installed.(obviously)

Ulaz magically reveals he has a chip for shiros arm that will act as malware towards haggars programming and after a whole "how can we trust you!" spheal, they get the chip and escape in the red lion, cause mama red didnt wanna stay behind!

And thats how they became outlaws, maybe they run into the voltron crews, who knows (shrug) I just wanted sheith, platonic or not

\---tbc???---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there is the angst!


	3. They've always known (Krolia/Keith's father)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krolia was not the first alien to visit earth.

Krolia was not the first alien to visit earth. There were many many before her, and the government was aware. There are prodicals in-place outside of public knowledge to keep aliens from the publics knowledge.

So when krolia crashes to earth with her partner, right in Tex's backyard (keiths dad will always be texas kogane, fight me) it doesnt go unnoticed. Tho the sensors monitoring the desert have a blind spot because of the blue lion (yey lion magic) And cant accurately pin point tex's shack.

Oh right, krolia's partner blade dies. But not before krolia and tex get all panicked, depressed and then resigned about it.

Over time while fixing up krolias craft, krolia and tex wander the desert following blue's signals. The government is running around trying to bypass their blind spot to find krolia, before it becomes a public issue. (they are kinda lax in the issue cause of the fact it is in the middle of the desert away from the public)

!~Time skip to keith~!

Krolia and tex have obviously noticed vehicles coming into the desert lurking about so they have taken a low profile. They also gotta lay low cause they gotta take care of keith too.

The government agents have taken another strategy towards finding the craft and aliens, operation stalk tex when he goes into town for supplies! (cause theyve obviously had to have spotted him around in the desert, its not hard to assume he knows something or has information they need)

So on the way back from a supply run everything goes to sh*t~!

The empire's scouts come, alerting not only krolia, but also the governments extraterestrial response team! But again the government cant get an exact reading cause of blue! And krolia informs Tex who is on his way back to take keith and get outta dodge and the government decide to keep following tex, getting backup to head their way!

Tex probably realized he was being followed at some point, but like, his son!!! his cat wife!!! He still has to go!

Krolia decides on a plan, Tex grabs keith, Krolia takes out the scouts, they meet back up after a signal and get away from the mysterious government stalkers. 

Problem is, the government back up included government fighters and after krolia took care of the scouts she was outnumbered by fighters! She decides damaging her craft would be too much of a risk cause she couldnt fly tex and keith to safety if it was damaged too much, so she takes evasive manuvers! Flying the craft out of the atmostphere, running into the international space stations (gotta feel sorry for the people incharge of silencing this incedent) one thing leads to another and she ends up too far from earth.

Krolia is picked up by and empire craft and cant return without risking earth, the blue lion, or tex and keith. So she never makes it back.

!~Cut back to tex~!

Cornered in his shack saferoom that krolia insisted he build at one point. (she is from a top secret spy organisation i can imagine she'd insist failsafes be put in place) Tex is with little toddler keith waiting for a signal that isnt coming. (sob)

(Officers and agents trained in dealing with aliens probably could get into the galra tech if they tried hard enough)

So the agents stormed the safe house and found a very human looking tex and keith, and were like "...take them anyway" And tex and keith were brought into custody. Much to tex's 'protests'. Tex gets roughed up and after several interogations they find keiths existance suspicious and do tests that reveal his nonhuman dna.(suspicious cause texas kagone may be a manly man but he cant create children out of thin air)

When Tex's 'protests' get out of their control they make him 'disappear', so they can do whatever they want now that he is gone.

So then keiths parents arch is over and we move over to keith growing up in governemtn 'custody'.

\--- I dont really know where to go from here...this is more like a prologue to the story i wanna create, of keith being stuck in government 'custody and never leaving earth with the garrison crew or meeting shiro or going to space. I wanna see the reaction when voltron comes to earth and reveals the existance of aliens and screws up the clasified information that has been secret for so long.---

(cause in this voltron defeats zarkon/lotor/haggar back in space before returning to earth to bring them into the coalition)

And basicly, keith who has been trapped in a lab all his life with little to no knowledge of what was going on outside, (being too so young when he was taken and never really leaving his fathers shack to begin with) is suddenly released when pidge hacks into this particular branch of the government that seems to be so against the coalition and aliens coming in general and made the biggest fuss about keeping everything under wraps, and finds out they have a ton of alien knowledge and scrapped tech and alien bodies (they found krolias blade partner)

So pidge uncovers keith and is like "hold the f*cking phone, what is going on here" and of course being teamed up with the blade of marmora, when she notices they have not one but two marmora blades (krolias that she left with keith and her partner blade that passed away and was buried with it) pidge gets ahold of the blade and they take control of the warehouses and connected labs and keith! (yey keith)

Keith of course has no f*cking idea whats happening.

\---- tbc thats all ive got for now---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There might be a more to this one in the future. when i get more ideas.


	4. My little... mermaid? (KIdge)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge finally found a cryptid, or maybe he found her?

Pidge being a researcher in marine biology and a secret cryptid hunter.

Keith being a lonely mer who enjoys people watching from afar.

Kosmo being a little reef shark keith adopted, that follows him around, they have a psychic bond so they can share feelings and intent, but not words.

Haggar is the sea witch, cause like, she is a witch is canon? maybe she could be less evil and more mischievious, she goes by honerva in this AU. She just wants to cause mischief not take over the kingdom and rule the mer... this is light hearted okay?

Shiro is part of the royal gaurd of mers, krolia is like queen triton or whatever.

Shiro is the over protective one like "keith you must be more careful, keith you'll rule this kingdom soon, keith stop running off!" and krolia is like "let the boy have his fun, he is still young"  
Lance, hunk and pidge and the alteans are all human.

Shiro, keith, krolia and the bom are all mer.

Allura runs a marine research and rescue centre, where lance, hunk and pidge work.

Lance works with the sharks and rays, hunk works with the whales and porpoises, pidge works with the fish and corals

While taking samples of the local reef corals, some sort of accident (slips on a current, startled by something, idk) happens and her leg gets caught in the rocks and she cant get back to the surface.

Keith who was watching her from behind the reefs, rushes to help when he sees she is starting to slow in her struggles and is drowning, when he gets her to the surface he sings til she wakes up (cause i said so) but not like sing sing, more like whale/dolphin songs.

When hunk and lance hear the song and come to investigae keith is already gone and they find pidge coughing up water.

Keith runs into shiro, shiro does his hovering worry filled brother routine and keith is like "my dude, my bro, im fine"

Pidge avoids the beach for awhile and hangs out at the research center listening to whale song and porpoise song recordings trying to figure out what she heard when she was saved. 

And keith, who hasnt seen pidge since the incident is worried and goes to haggar to get legs (cause duh we need legs to get the plot moving)

Shiro is all "you cant see the sea witch! keith bro no! she be sneaky!" and of course keith gives shiro the slip and goes anyway.

Honerva is in her spooky whale bone cave and agrees to give our boy some legs, saying "you have one week, if you dont get the girl to kiss ya, you will belong to me(or something idk)" so she takes his voice (cause this is a little mermaid AU!) and sends him to the surface with his legs.

kosmo is obviously sad cause he cant follow, poor kosmo...

And keith is now naked as the day he was born in the middle of a tide pool right when lance and hunk comes along to comb the beach for sea life thats in trouble (or whatever marine rescue does on the beach) Keith being a mer with absolutely no knowledge of human customs is extremely happy that someone came along cause boy does he not know how to use legs. (i can just hear lances squawking in my head from here)

After giving hunk and lance a heartattack each (they give him a jacket dont worry he isnt as naked now), they take him to the nearest building which is the research centre, but not before trying to get the mute guy to speak (lance holds a grudge cause he thinks hes being messed with)

Keith is happy to find pidge is there, hurray and pidge is very confused as to why a half naked guy who wont speak is trying to follow her around.

They keep him around cause they figure out he has a way with the marine life (he can telapathicly comunucate with them, so he can get them to work with him easier) They also believe he is either really dumb or lived under a rock. cause you cant have a little mermaid AU without mers being really bad at humaning!

conflict? well i guess them trying to figure out what is harming the marine life in the area, at some point it turns out to be sendak and his crew illegally fishing with illegal nets(you know the ones that are really inhumane) sendaks crew caught word of mers and are hunting!

They probably catch shiro which then turns into a rescue with the voltron crew raiding the boat and saving shiro, hurray and then yadda yadda kiss omg keith can talk, omg keith is a fish (lance squawking again) omg the whole coast is a mer community hiding in under sea caves, blah blah blah shiro has several anuerisms and krolia is just glad her son got a girlfriend

\---will build on the conflict part in another chapter---


	5. Everybody wants to be a cat (shallura) (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stray cat keith meets house cat lance.

So cat hybrids AU, would be humans with cat features kept as pets by humans and lance and keith are kitties! 

The animal hybrids can't speak, they have animal vocal cords so they can like meow and hiss and purr, but not speak. Which so why people dont really feel moral issues by keeping them as pets when they look so human. Their animal traits would be obvious tho, Their eyes are catlike, their nails are claws, they have paw pads! obviously the ears and tail, sometimes more traits then that.

Lance is a pampered pet living in a big house with a huge backyard garden. His owner is allura and he is very smug about it. He mostly lays about outside in the garden, sometimes hunk (who is also a cat hybrid) visits with pidge(who is hunks owner), but over all lance is pretty content.

Keith is a scruffy stray cat that claims the alleys as his "terittory". Shiro found him sometime in the past, but since his place refuses to allow pets and keith refuses to be sent to a shelter, shiro just kinda helps keith out sometimes. But like shiro is a busy guy, he is in the military and gets called to base or missions often, so keith doesn't always get shiros help with food and stuff...

Keith and lance meet when keith comes looking for food out of their trash, cause the rich guys gotta waste a ton of food by keiths logic. Lance thinks he is valiantly defending his terittory when he spectacularly fails to intimidate keith or even impress him at all. So Lance makes up their rivalry, cause lance doesn't wanna lose so easy, it was obviously a fluke!

Now that lance has his eyes out and keith finds lances trash an easy target, they run into each other more and more often. Allura at some point spots keith and lance fighting and worries about the "feral cat" harming lance or giving him a disease and locks lance inside while she decides how to keep keith out of her property.

At this point shiro has been sent away on a mission and keith is desperate, so he is scrounging whereever he can, but he knows how to be wary of humans, so when he realizes allura had spotted him he is more reluctant to return.

So lance is all depressed keith hasnt been around and is moping to the point when hunk visits he teases him for his "crush" (insert lance pout here) And lance adamently denies it.

Meanwhile keith gets into an altercation with some not so nice humans while cutting through an alley and hops a fence to escape, surprise surprise, its lances fence! cause plot says it is! Lance who was moping in the window spots keith and exclaims loudly like "aHA! MY CRUSH THAT ISNT MY CRUSH IS BACK!" of course not those exact words, but close enough.

He finds a way to sneak out and confront keith and realizes, gasp, keith is hurt! So he sneaks keith inside even tho keith probably is being stubborn the whole time like "IM FINE, I DONT NEED YOUR HELP KITTY PET" and lance is like "YOURE LITERALLY BLEEDING ALL OVER THE GROUND" you know, the usual.

So lance harbors keith inside his room, cause he has no idea how to hide anything and allura catches them and is like "LANCE WHY IS THAT DIRTY STRA- OMG ITS DYING!" and keith gets a free trip to the vet cause allura is f*cking loaded, like alfor probably left her so much damn money and assets and probably an entire enterprise... but yeah free vet trip!

Keith hates it! ;D

When allura notices how reluctant lance is about letting keith go she has a whole change of heart and decides "well shit, guess i have two cats now"

and we get a grumpy, bandaged keith who is probably on drugs, cause animal pain killers are trippy. The loopy and lazy and cuddly healing keith scenes are very important and must not be left out ever!

But of course while lance is estatic about the whole "Keith is staying!!!" keith gets off his drug trip and goes "I dont need no humans help, im fine on my own!" Tragic humans neglected and abandoned me far too much, sobstoryexposition "Humans cant be trusted, they dont like cats like me!"

Lance convinces he "at least stay til your better" and keith is like "fiiiiiiiine"

keith meets hunk who nudges lance and goes "he your boyfriend/mate yet?" (insert lance stuttering squawk here)

After a ton of fluff where keith learns how good pet life is, keith is reluctant to leave, cause allura is 'nice'??? humans arent supposed to be 'nice'??? (why does keith always lump shiro as some sort of exception in his angst fics???)

Insert important keith doesnt want a bath scene, lance loves water scene, keith suffers in the fluff.

insert cuddling klance scenes.

insert keith being soft and lance being smitten.

Much fluff and indecision later, keiths wounds have long healed but he is reluctant to leave. Lance being all sad cause he thinks keith is gonna leave, and then keith leaves, gasp!

But yeah he just went to go see shiro :P

When keith comes back lance is surprised and confused "thought you were leaving?" but yeah he wasnt just saying "bye" to shiro but he is staying. the end.

Bonus scene, allura and shiro were dating the whole time and shiro comes over and sees keith and keith and shiro just go "what" so shiro moves in and keith gets shiro and allura as owners, the end end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a horrendous mess from beginning to end... i am so sorry....


	6. The little blade (thulaz) (kolitok) (shurtis) (allurance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A BOM keith kid fic

-Keith -

keith went with his mother cause his mixed heritage was more obvious then in canon. His genes take after his galra side more, tho he still looks mostly human aside from yellow scalera and kitty galra ears and claws, he ages slower outwardly then humans.

Appearance, he would be pale skinned human. But! He'd have little black kitten ears, that had purple fur on the inside of them. Yellow scalera, dark blue pupils. Kitty feet, like, four toes, paw pads, kitty feet. Little claws (the main BOM call them kit claws cause they are tiny compared to theirs) and Little fangs! If he had a tail, its give away his galra heratige quicker then the ears and eyes (cause the ears blend in with his hair and eyes arent obvious at a distance) but a tail would have kitty value... decisions... decisions...

Galra live hundreds of years in this AU, so at 19 keith looks barely 6-8 years old in human terms, being the only 'kit' on base.

None of the blades die in this AU, so we get thace and ulaz and regris and antok, all alive and overprotective family for keith! 

Krolia is still undercover, but keith is aware of it, even if he is kinda upset.

Keith is at the age where he is forbidden to leave base, all the war stuff is mostly hidden from him, he knows there is a war and that zarkon is bad, but he doesnt know the extent cause saying "zarkon is ruler of all the known universe and is a bad guy" doesnt sound as bad as "trillion of species suffer every day from slavery and abuse under zarkons rule as he destroys their planets and kills their people and there is little they can do about it cause his empire outnumbers them by millions" so yeah hes pretty sheltered...

He is in training tho, learning languages and hand to hand and knife/sword basics and stances. Cause i can imagine galra, a very battle driven race, would train their kits starting very young. Hes not into dangerous stuff like working with real sharp blades, but yeah i want little keith to kick ass.(Thace and antok train him in combat, Ulaz and thace teach him language and such)

-BOM -

I love the idea of close family pack dynamics in galra, not quite ABO dynamics, more platonic family instincts. Super protective, intimate family feels. All the fluff!

Thace would be keiths uncle, raising him with ulaz in krolias absence. Whether thulaz is a thing of not? Im leaning towards them pining not very obvious cause galra are pretty stoic. Thace and Ulaz would be constantly in and out of missions, they were in deep cover like cannon til the "champion" incident and then ulaz came back, Thace would go into deep cover when he gets that promotion from leutenant into commander. So it starts with caretaker Thace, then Ulaz returns and Thace goes deep cover til the zarkon confrontation.

Regris is like keiths big brother, He is considered young but not considered a 'kit' anymore. He often gets into mischief with keith cause he never really grew up. I imagine their favorite game is to see who can get away with pranking kolivan.(Thace would get into trouble with them cause he is an enabler who probably never grew up either)

Antok is like keiths mentor, and probably secretly keiths favorite guardian. Antok is in charge of his combat training (thace's training lessons are more like bonding time), but he probably spends too much time play fighting with keith. Antok is a huge enabler of keith and regris' mischief, he would sit back and not say a word and probably divert attention subtlely just to see how their pranks turn out.

Kolivan would be super stoic, but secretly a huge softy and literally only antok (and probably keith) would be around to notice him being soft. He would suffer silently through keiths mayhem cause keith is just too precious and he cant handle it.

-Paladins -

I'm thinking without keith on earth the timeline would move from "garrison trio rescuse shiro from the garrison" to "allura blue paladin, lance red paladin" and not much else changing on their end til the bom episode. Then allura and shiro travel to the bom headquarters (forget the whole only red can travel the path, plot dictates allura needs to be on base for shananigans!)

Keith (obviously sheltered and not allowed into the meeting of the paladins and kolivan) sneaks away from "anonymous babysitter" (cause ulaz was in the lion with the paladins and now at the meeting, and thace is in a mission or deep cover or whatever now) to go see the legendary paladins from his bedtime stories.

Allura who in this reality never met keith so she never had the ark where she comes to understand all galra arent bad (which i think is a big factor to her realization of acceptiance, cause living with keith and him proving his worth over and over had to have made an impact. Him and shiro both advocating a bom / voltron alliance sofened the blow i think, even if she didnt know keith was galra yet) Is highly hostle even if she is trying to subdue it for shiro

The galra who are extremely stoic can spot her anger a mile away but are better at hiding their feelings about it, so her subtle anger and barley hidden distrust as she is belting out stuff like "heartless species" or "all galra are monsters" is super obvious with her hostility.

Keith who witnesses her accusations about kolivan and his "family"s loyality and cause, is of course highly offended to put it lightly, so he of course hotheadedly runs out and chalanges her to a duel or something. The blades are silently panicking, not noticing keith earlier (antok is both proud at his stealth skills and extremely worried about his safely around a hostile alien on their base)  
Shiro is probably frozen by the fact there is a child with a harmless practice blade that is not even sharp is challenging allura to a duel he believes the kid cant win and the fact the kid looks human 

(gasp human)

Allura probably very conflicted, causeyouknow. Galra = dangerous, Child = harmless.

and kolivan is a very very tired father.

Safe to say the duel doesnt happen, but keith sure made it clear she should not be mean to his family.

His habit to sneak into kolivans and antoks shuttles when they meet the paladins for meetings is how he gets to meet the rest of the paladins, i imagine pidge is the first to notice him when he sneaks into the castleship the first time, (coran probably notices immediately but like coran wont tell no one, he is probably like antok and wants to see what happens) 

eventually kolivan just gives up trying to keith proof the shuttles so he cant sneak out of base, he just lets him, but of course he always has one of his guardians to babysit him (at least til the paladins are proven trustworthy with their kit)

Allura -

I imagine after the keith confrontation, she becomes more conflicted about the "galra evil" thing. Not saying she warms up immediately, i feel she would take some time, and the blades really really would make it clear to her that if she is hostile to their only kit that she wont get away with it.

Over time she would develop a big sister relationship with keith, cause she cant hold onto her prejudices forever.

-Shiro -

I kinda imagine keith getting told stories about shiro by Ulaz. Like, ulaz would paint the picture of a hero who stands for the prisoners and doesnt surrender to the "evil zarkon" or something. That he is a warrior that spares the innocent.

In this AU shiro never killed any prisoners he was up against, he made a show of subduing them so the crowd was satisfied, but never killed them. So he wasnt dubbed the arena champion by the galra, he was the champion of the people. Cause he spared them and shared food and snuck them resources, he was given for his continued wins, to other prisoners.

So i imagine when keith is told the champion and hero of the arena, is human like his father, he wants to be like shiro. Though i believe given shiros ptsd he would be conflicted accepting such praise, cause all he remembers from the little flashes he gets are him causing pain to others or the druids haunting him, but this is a fluff fic so keith has to show him hes a hero.

-Lance -

Lance being from a big family, just loves kids. So he obviously wants to be keiths favorite, but of course keith favors shiro. Lance probably understands, cause shiro is his hero too, not for the same reasons but shiro is literally everyones hero at some point.

At some point there has to be a scene, where keith gets upset at someone for saying hes too young for something (training/flying/something) and he yells "Im not a little kit anymore! I'm gonna be 20 decaphebes soon!" and i just imagine lance just getting so offended that keith is older then him.

in extention to that scene, when keith learns that lance, hunk and pidge (18, 18, and 16 respectively) are younger then him and he becomes a little sh*t and starts bossing lance around saying hes "older" so he can.

-Pidge -

Pidges relationship with keith is probably similar to his relationship with regris after they get to know eachother more, (platonic kidge is literally my jam)

They probably gossip alot about who knows, keith likes hanging out with pidge while she tinkers cause him and regris have the same habit, also kidge causing meyham with pranks (usually on lance, but shiro probably got cause in one or two)

-Hunk -

Hunk is most likely gonna be nervous around keith at first (cause you know, sharp claws/teeth, glowing eyes, galra) but he probably sneaks keith snacks and keith would hang out in the kitchen cooking with him.

Another scene, keith approaching hunk asking help cooking something for a galra tradition/aniversery/birthday/holiday thing for his guardians and making a complete mess of the kitchen and kolivan trying so hard not to go soft at the sight of his messy kit covered in dough/powder smiling brightly while he presents him with his dish. 

-The Lions -

You know how keith could feel the blue lion and had super strong instincts? He probably feels that tugging, not a "your a paladin tug" but a "we are here" tug

He would sneak off to the hangers to sit and talk with the lions, more often after his guardians deem the paladins trustworthy with their kit, leaving him at the castle ship alone with the paladins.

The lions would of course love their tiny halfbreed cub, cause who wouldnt???

-Other scenes -

The story would revolve around time between missions, being, cuddly fluff and mischief mostly.

On the day they face zarkon for the final battle with the giant teladov, would probably be the most angst it would get, but that'd be keiths point of view and he would be on base away from the battle being worried and lonely (cause he doesnt know how big the battle will be, but he knows that his family and new friend will be fighting and he cant do anything to help)

The rest is fluff, like 

The paladins learning galra traditions and habits, and being really surprised the first time keith initiates play fighting.

First sleepover at the castle ship and keith learning the paladins dont all sleep in the same room and getting home sick.

Keith constantly trying to get allura to duel him, but getting distracted by one thing or another.

Keith pouncing on hunk or shiro cause he doesnt know he should ask for a piggypack ride (everyone on the BOM base probably just lets him jump on them whenever he likes) he would probably  
start giggling if hunk freaked and started running.

Pidge making a laser pointer to see exactly how catlike the galra really are (ill let you decide if keith goes for it)

Lance teaching keith games from earth, like hide and seek, freeze tag, ect.

The paladins learning keith is lactose intolerant and nursing him through the ensuing cramps and sickness.

Krolia returning to base from deep cover to find keith not there and all his guardians not with him, and then rushing to the castle ship to retrieve her kit from the aliens her pack left him with, only to find him completely fine.

Of course krolia returns from deep cover with Kosmo, cause he cant be left out, so keith gets a new dog and he loves him

Keith's psychic abilities extend to Kosmo, so when he meets kosmo he feels a similar feeling from him as he feels from the lions in canon, like understand his feelings and intent. So when the paladins ask what he will name Kosmo and he says "im waiting for him to tell me" he really means it. (theyd probably dub him Kosmo anyway, even when keith pouts and says thats not his name)

Keith being so absolutely disgusted by food goo, he starts a food fight the first time he shares a meal with the paladins (bonus if kolivan is there and he gets pelted while he sits stoicly by trying hard not to join in)

Keith being super into corans story telling that he follows coran around while he does mantenance on the castle to hear his stories (i headcanon thace is a wild story teller so keith loves those kind of crazy stories)

Keith repeatedly trying to sneak into shuttles and fighters on the castle ship cause he wants to fly (the crafts on the bom base were age locked , similar to the way galra tech is species locked. So he couldnt fly anything without permission, but he didnt, cause who in their right mind would let a little kid who has never flown before fly his first craft between two black holes???)

Keith being really good at flying that he doesnt crash even when he is escorted back to the castle ship, (making lance sour cause he crashed every simulation he has every flown before blue and red) and being really smug even when he gets in trouble.

Keith building nests in all the common areas, like in the kitchen, lounge, the bridge, all the lion hangers, the training deck, the observation deck, ect. No one really has reason to stop him cause they arent in the way where they are built, but when he starts trying to build them in everyones bedroom they start questioning him. (I imagine galra use nests instead of beds and lounging furniture, so keith doesnt get the concept that 'bed is for sleeping' and 'couch is for relaxing' and he thinks they just dont know how to nest, so he "makes examples")

Keith napping, like a cat, in the most random places. Cause he is one of those kids that just goes and goes til he crashes. 

Keith staring, like a cat. Be it across the room, behind furniture, in the dark (scaring lance half to death with glowing eyes), just staring, so innocently.

The garrison trio teaching keith earth traditions and customs (lance trying to convince him a dab is an acceptable greeting. Pidge not really correcting him, but hunks exasperation gives the prank away)

Keith and shiro bonding! keith teaching shiro how to play fight, while shiro teaching keith how to spar.

Lotor coming to the castleship, making keiths guardians more wary, so they start coming to watch over him again. 

Lotor just having no idea how to deal with kids and meeting keith who is interested in meeting more halfbreeds.(lets just say lotor isnt a bad guy for fluffs sake)

Lotor going out of his way to avoid keith, but keith just not getting the hint. 

Awkward babysitter lotor, I WANT AWKWARD BABYSITTER LOTOR!

The paladins seeing keiths paw feet during their first sleep over and gushing over a very unimpressed keith.

Keith getting lost at the space mall and hanging out with varkon til who ever he went to the mall with decides to check the mall help desk where varkon is.

During a coilition, aliens with ill feelings towards the BOM and paladin alliance tries to lure keith away and then getting the wrath of like everyone almost immediately and keith not realizing he was ever in danger.

Keith learning about earth animals and hippos. you know. (plus lance trying to convince his sharks are better and not getting anywhere)

Thace sneaking keith out into training flights, cause hes that kind of uncle.

The castle ship doesnt get destroyed cause lotor is an okay guy in this AU, so he doesnt turn on them. Also the altean colony isnt bad, lotor made it to protect them from haggar, all is right with the universe and the trip back to earth isnt a huge whatever that was. So when they goto free earth they have the castle for support, good day. I want keith to see earth, and everything not to be a tragedy, is that too much to ask? support from the coilition and the Blades that arent dead in this reality, they can save earth without getting f*cked. also since the colony isnt a hell hole, haggar doesnt find it and she doesnt get her altean robeast, so suck it haggar! (im completely drawing blanks about what happened past season 5, so i dont know, dont look at me if i dont got all the facts, i want earth and the MFEs and the garrison!)(NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO KILL ALLURA!)

Over protective blades hovering around keith after earth is saved and they land to visit.

Iverson not taking keith seriously after keith gets offended by his attitude and challenges him to a duel. Iverson then getting knocked onto his tailbone by a tiny keith and keith beaming about his victory even tho iverson is shocked and slightly fuming. (iverson obviously cant do anything about it cause antok is hovering nearby being intimidating while secretly highly amused)

Keith silently judging shiro and curtis for being "open" about their courting, shiro getting flustered when keith catches him kissing curtis and asks him if its normal for humans to 'mate in public' (insert judgy keith glare) (cause galra while they have all those family customs/insincts are very private about courting and mating)(bonus, keith witnessing allurance and immediately taking offence. allurance of course has no idea what they did to trigger little keith)(Edit: i just realized i wrote shallura instead of allurance)

Keith meeting a cat and paladins reactions. nuff said.

The blades losing track of keith and finding him sleeping with the space mice and cosmo in the lion's hanger.

Keith meeting the MFEs and immediately challeging james to a race, but getting stopped by Ulaz who over hears from somewhere nearby.(sneaking away later to race james anyway with fliers and winning the race cause james thought keith was kidding)

Assorted MFE and keith fluff.

Keith asking tons of questions about human mating ceremonies(weddings) and finding alot of human traditions weird or pointless. Bonus the blades who brought keith when they attended the wedding getting the shock of learning humans opening kiss in public and reacting much like keith when he found out.

Krolia taking keith to his dads shack in the desert.

Keith getting lost on the garrison base and ending up on the roof, where he hangs out watching the stars. Shiro finds him there after he has fallen asleep and takes him to bed.

Keith. Parkour.

Keith meeting the paladins families.

Keith meeting lances nieces and nephews and being like "oh that kid is so small what is he 5 decaphebes old?" and being told "no... he is not even 2 yet..." and being shocked.

Keith meeting the holts dog and wondering why they cant teleport.

Lance getting jealous when his mother and family just immediately wants to adopt keith.

Keith. Steals. A. Car. (shiro finds him after his joyride of course)

Someone give the keith a stuffed hippo. please.

Keith carrying the stuffed hippo everywhere with him.

Keith napping on people, just falling asleep on anyone and everyone.

Keith jumping on curtis and scaring him half to death for a piggy back ride. (shiro failing to hide his amusement)

Keith descovering the ventalation system and falling out of a vent right onto a very lucky human. That human is probably one of the MFEs...(itd be funny if it was iverson, but james would be better)

Sneaky keith raiding the kitchen in the middle of the night and scaring hunk in the process.

\---more to be added at a later date---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is my pride an joy...


	7. Rise of the immortal (Part one)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What really happened to altea...

The concept is simple, The crew stay on earth, The galra are immortal demons that can only be stopped by sealing them away.

The Galra is what the Alteans called demons, that are practically immortal, no mortal can kill them. Only another Galra can kill a galra, but this fact is often overlooked cause it was believed it was impossible to get any demons to revolt against Zarkon.

Ten thousand years ago the last of the demon slayer clan 'the Alteans' sacrificed their power to seal away Zarkon the only demon powerful enough to open the gate to the demons realm and bring demons to earth.

The garrison an organisation or archeologists study the Altea clan, they are looking to discover cause of a huge wave of world wide destruction, that it seems the altean excavation sites seemed to be able to avoid for much of history.

The Marmora is a clan of demons that became trapped on earth after Zarkons fall, they have since chosen to live amongst the humans in harmony. Many are mixed bloods cause of mixing with humans over the years, giving them mortal and immortal blood.

\---

The story begins with the kerberos excavation site, Shiro and his crew have set up camp to study remnants of a shrine of sorts. Unbenownst to them it isnt a shrine, but instead, the sealed crypt of Sendak! dun dun duuuun!

During their dig further into the site, matt and sam disturb the sela releasing sendak, who sends them into the demon realm and vanishes to search for zarkons seal to release him. But to any outsider, it looks like a regular cave collapse, so after digging and finding no bodies they declare the kerberos team dead.

Keith of course does not like that news "The site structure was stable! Are you calling shiro incompatent!" (shiro is a geaologist in this, sam and matt are the archeologists)

The entire site is closed off so no matter how much keith tries he cant get to it to prove shiro isnt compatent (keith is a intern in geology under shiro, cause i said so) So he goes through he digs in the same area to check the geography of the area to compile proof the site was never unstable.

Pidge meanwhile (a archeologist and linguistic intern) is snooping around as well to find out what the garrison is hiding, lance and hunk follow them(pidge is they/them in this) (lance is a geologist intern and hunk is an archeologist)

At some point they run into eachother outside the kerberos site trying to sneak in when a portal of sorts opens from the demons realm and shiro comes out, the garrison site crew is scrambling to quarrantine shiro. 

Keith is about ready to rush in when pidge stops him saying they need a distraction, keith who is a geologist (and probably has demolition training) of course has explosives so he is like "i got you a distraction" and yeah he blows up another of their sites and while half the crew runs to investigate the trio and keith storm the site and abscond with shiro.

One jeep ride later and they are all in keiths shack (this time his shack is a cabin in the woods ;D)

After they all come down from their adrenaline, they settle shiro down and have their intorductions. The next day shiro wakes up and gives his exposition about the demon realm that he barely remembers, all he knows is "there are demons. They want to take over earth, but they are trapped. And a terrible monster called sendak has awakened and if they dont find voltron and reseal him he will release Zarkon, the emperor of all demons and the only one who can pull demons through the void."

What is voltron? it is five amulets with the power of the alteans, the power to seal demons and stop them, the very power used to seal zarkon in the beginning. But of course they dont know that.  
So they find out keith has been feeling a preseance in woods for some time, while investigating the dig sites for proof shiro isnt incompetent. So they decide to follow keiths feeling, cause they gotta do something. 

Of course what they find is an undiscovered altean site, they causiously enter the cave like shrine and it starts glowing when lance touches it, dragging them underground. There they find a pedestal with the blue talisman on it surrounded by a barrier.

After investigating around the shrine lance knocks on the barrier and it drops, and they have a vision of five different paladins each with a talisman of a different color talismans, and each releasing a lion. The lions sours above to fuse into spectral warror with a lion head.

Lance picks up the talisman and puts it on, in a trance while he listens to blue in his head. a lion shaped light darts from the talisman into the far wall forming a portal.

After some hesitation and deliberation they decide to pass through the portal

On the otherside is building of stone, with large abolisks rising from its roofs. The talisman lights one more time releasing a bright blue lion which roars at the building lighting torches all over the enterance opening the large doors.

Once inside they follow the lights to a room where the floor has several crystal filled indentations, inside two are allura and coran, the crystals glow bright blue and desolve as if made of ice and from them the alteans wake up.

The crew is told the story of Zarkons fall and The alteans sacrifice to make it happen, when they are told about sendaks release there is a mild panic. Then they plan their search for the remaining talismans while they are given uniforms (exorcists uniforms :D) and their bayards, which even tho they cant kill a galra they can defend the user and deflect the demons.

Keiths bayard doesnt work yet cause he has galra blood, but no one realises thats why, he just questions whether he can really be the red paladin or if he isnt worthy. Keith doesnt know about the marmora and neither does anyone else at the moment, the alteans believe the demons were banished with zarkon.

\---So the hunt for the talismans is more drawn out then the hunt for the lions in canon, cause i find the whole 'we can get all the lions in like 24 hours just cause' really unrealistic even if they had magic wormholes and altean ships---

The hunt for the talismans takes several months, over that time they are trained how to deal with demons and lance is trained how to seal weaker demons.(keith notices some of the demon repellants make him feel ill or weak but doesnt mention it, he thinks its unrelated)

One talisman is enough to seal weaker demons, but more are needed the stronger the demon is and they need to learn to pool their power together through mind syncing and bonding!

They find the green talisman first and they realise, sendak has been releasing lesser demons from their seals left and right searching for zarkon and raising and army, luckily the lesser demons he releases are great practice!

With the green talisman found deep in a far away grove from the 'castle' a week and a half from the start of their search, (allura is leading them through a divining trick similar to those old water divining methods) Allura then directs their path to the yellow talisman.

Of course its not easy, there is a ambush of lesser demons when they get their where we get some plot! The first hint of keiths demon origins, since his bayard isnt working he is using his mothers dagger to fight. Killing one of the lesser demons before pidge or lance or hunk can seal it, he freaks and hides the evidence, cause 'galra cant die?? allura said that they are immortal??? thats why we need the talismans???'

They retreat back to the 'castle', three talismans found and allura confused as to why she cant divine the red talismans location. Keith is having a mini freak out where he piles on his denial "the bayard just doesnt work cause im not the red paladin. That demon wasnt dead... it didnt die, they cant die... unless allura was wrong???' and continuing the downward spiral

Sendak sends a stronger demon to the 'castle' to pass along a message 

(lets say there are five levels of demons, 

Lesser demons - 'dont really have a will, are controlled by their urges and the orders of stronger demons', 

Rogue demons - 'they dont hold much rank, but are higher then lesser demons and have will beyond their urges', 

Soldier demons - 'They are the rogue demons that band together to follow a higher level demon, they hold wills beyond their urges',

Demon Generals - 'Strongest of the soldier demons who have proved their worth to lead their peers and fight by their princes will'

Demon Princes - 'Strongest of all demons, they have the ability to subjugate even general demons under their will' Zarkon is of this class, but has somehow gained the ability to subjugate other princes and named himself the emperor of all demons.

So sendak a General has subjugated many rogues to build up an army of soldiers)

After restraining the demon that invaded the outer barrier of the castle the demon gives the message from sendak "surrender the talimans of parish"

\---

At this point sendak has located zarkons seal but cant break it alone, it is too stong, so he believes he can somehow use the talismans to break the seal. of course the crew doesnt know that.  
So sendak is on the way to the castle with an army of soldier demons to claim voltron :D

\---

Its around this time allura realizes sendak has the red talisman, and everyone starts to disagree on what to do. They eventually decide to stand their ground, when allura says the black talismans is sealed within the castle til the rest are gathered.

The castle barrier is summoned and they head out with their bayards to face sendak's army, three talismans are not enough to seal him away but they seam enough to stand their ground against him, keith splits from the group against their protests cause he hears the red talismans voice.

Keith and a weakened sendak wrestle for a bit with keiths dagger and sendak realizes the dagger can actually harm him, but neither realize that its not the dagger that is harming him but keiths demon power occupying the blade with his intent. So sendak really wants the blade, but keith has already severed his arm and taken the red talisman, leaving sendak to throw a tantrum while he returns to the team.

With four of the five talisman the voltron team is able to seal a majority of the soldier demons and retreats to the castle to awaken the black talisman.

With the five talismans and their paladins together they somehow fuse their lion spirits and seal the remaining demons in one go, the voltron spirit stands among the now empty field with glowing yellow eyes looking back at the team before disbanding.

After the adrenaline winds down they realize sendak has vanished during the chaos.

They return to the castle to celebrate their victory and rest. 

\---

Switch back to sendak who is tending his severed arm wound, beside him the remains of his demon army, a soilder named haxus and a couple of lesser demons. Sendak pride has taken a beating and he is holding a grudge but he knows now voltron has reunited he stands no change so he takes his remaining forces and leaves.

Its isnt by chance sendak finds haggar (an altean exorcist who became a demon prince by forbidden magic, she can travel from the demon realm and back but cant take demons with her) Haggar was searching for the strong galra aura that arose those many months ago. Haggar has been laying low cause her corrupted power could not summon demons, nor could it free demons from their seal, so when she sensed a demon wake she knew to act.

Haggars power surpased sendaks, with the gift of a new arm and eye(i forgot about his eye for a moment lol) she subjugated him and his demons under her will. Using sendak as a catalist she and sendak went about releasing more demons to sacrifice to release zarkon from his seal.

\---next part tba , clan intoduction and info dump , alliance forming , group bonding ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know i said the last one was my pride and joy... but like this monster is my pride too...


	8. Bird in a cage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if pidge never landed in trash space?

During the corrupted wormhole episode when the lions are seperated, pidge instead of ending up in the space caterpillar junkyard she ends up on a planet.

\---I kinda find it hard to believe all the planets in the voltron universe all speak common tongue so f*ck that---

Pidge ends up none the worse for wear on a planet of aliens that resemble brightly colored tropical birds. Like imagine a velociraptors with feathers and beaks and pretty feather tails. (scaley limps, with frilly bright feathers and curved bird beaks) The aliens seem fascinated by pidge to put it lightly, but there is a language barrier.

The aliens seem nice enough leading pidge into their city and letting her freshen up with a bath and change of clothes. But its kinda awkward when they cant understand each other, when pidge tries to go back to the green lion for repairs or at least build a translator with her tools in her lion, she is stopped by the aliens that just chirp and coo at her.

These aliens dont get visitors from outside their planet like ever, (which is probably why they never picked up the common tongue), pidge is an oddity, and facinates them to no end.

Because of the lack of alien contact and language barrier they dont seem to believe pidge is anything more then a strange animal. So they try to keep and pamper her, when they realize she is more clever then they first thought they put more measures into keeping her in the city.

But pidge being pidge, finds ways around their measures, realizing she has to get out if she wants to contact her team and the castle.

\---tbc cause im out of ideas for the moment---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isnt a very fleshed out idea sorry...


	9. I have seen planets die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A "what if keith was honerva's assistant/son and got caught up in the rift incident with zarkon and honerva" scenerio

Keith is the son of honerva and Zarkon and was sickly/weak so he couldnt join the guard/army like he wanted as he grew up, he was dragged into honervas work to have some sort of purpose.

Pre-rift honerva and zarkon were super doting helicopter parents, cause i say so. In this AU keith is Lotors elder brother by almost eight years, unlike keith, lotor was perfectly strong/healthy, but keith is a good brother so he doesnt turn bitter toward lotor.

Unlike lotor, keith takes more after galra more in appearance, but has more dominant altean abilities. (cause like, lotor cant shapeshift and lacks altean markings, which is bull he looks almost completely like an altean with purple skin) While lotor takes after alteans in appearance while having dominant galra abilities.

He often over worked himself much to his parents distress, but something changed when honervas work switched to focusing entirely on the rift on diabazaal. Testing proved quintessance could effect the longevity and constitution of the affected organism, and keith secretly started testing the theory on himself to see if it could help with his weakness/sickliness.

When Alfor started becoming uneasy about the rift, keith was right in the middle of arguement when he discovers Alfor wishes to close the rift. Believing the rift can not only save his life by curing his sickness, but also giving him power over his own life.

The ensuing conflict goes like this.

An experiment keith was conducting again in secret without his parents knowledge is discovered when honerva walks into the lab late when she forgot something. The shock and startled keith accidently loses control of the volitile quintessence and honerva is harmed in the crossfire.

He panics and calls his father in his panic begging him to help, When regular medical treatment shows no signs of helping, keith mentions how the rift could help, but the idea is immediately shot down.

Honerva surrcomes to the sickness of quintessance poisoning, Zarkon falls into a depression and Alfor torments him saying the rift is to blame and must be closed. Keith overhears and decides to take action himself, spiriting himself and honerva's body to the rift.

Zarkon realizes what keith is doing and goes to stop him, Alfor leads the original paladins to intercept Zarkon, believing him going to try and stop the rift from being closed. One thing leads to another and Zarkon accidently kills Alfor, before fleeing to stop keith only to get dragged into the rift as it reacts to keith going in with honerva. (like when keith goes in the rift turns into a vacuum for a short time while reacting to them passing through, sucking zarkon and the lab inside)

Keiths particular consitution, and testing of the rift quintessance on himself for some time before has made his trip to the rift less of a shock then honervas and zarkons. They are split apart and spat out of the rift into different parts of space, zarkon and honerva back at the ruins of diabazaal with their memories a mess. (honerva's memories are completely gone, zarkons are warped and partially rewritten)

While Zarkon and haggar take revenge of their destroyed home, zarkon collects lotor and puts him into cryosleep. His mind is nagging him about keiths disappearance, he does not remember keith going into the rift or being seperated, he believes keith died with diabazaal and since honerva was dead when she went into the rift she cant tell him otherwise even if she recovered he memories.  
Lotor of course was barely six years old (keith being 13 or 14 when going into the rift) he was with his babysitter and had no idea what the hell was going on, dont ask him.

Back to keith, the rift not only spat him out far from diabazaal, but also in a different time, about five thousand years into the future from the event. Also he is floating in space cause he had no ship when going in the rift... 

Keiths memory is not empty like honervas or warped and confused like zarkons. It is more missing bits and pieces, he knows who he is, he knows about his family (does not remember their names tho), but he only remembers the times where he was too sick to participate in training or leave home. He doesnt remember the rift opening or the paladins turning on each other (he wasnt even there during that...) doesnt remember his mother dying, doesnt remember going into the rift and getting seperated either.

So we have a confused 13/14 year old halfbreed prince floating in space for a bit, then he gets picked up by some space pirates who are planning to sell him or something, he turns the tables on them tho, learning he isnt the weak sickly prince he remembered himself being, and also becoming a badass pirate. (galra grow faster in this AU so while keith is 13/14 he looks 16 and due to the rift he stops aging/growing)

So for five thousand years he is a badass notorious pirate wanted in nearly every quadrant for his exploits. He gets dragged into the war when his crew raids a galra criuser and he robs sendak blind of the red lion and him and his crew end up on Arus.

\----(remember that keith is immortal but his crew is not, so they arent the same crew he started with five thousand years prior, some come, some go, keith is probably got some existantial crisis' he has to work through)----

\- Thannu, She/Her, She likes to sit out of planetside missions cause she hates the brightness of the orbiting stars, she has a calm and mellow personality, but will turn vicious when the situation calls for it. Her motivations for joining keith's are unclear, keith brought her back on a solo heist of a trade moon, he never said what happened during the raid but since he only brought back thannu and not any loot its assumed something happened.

She has been with the crew for about 6 years already by now, being the newest addition to the crew.

(a reptilian like alien, with a feather crest down her spine, she kinda looks like a raptor, her tail is long and she uses it like a whip when fighting, her scales are a mix of blue and green, her feathers are white, her eyes are pure black, she wears a visor in brighter enviroments due to light sensitivity)(She wears a set of dark green light armor with neon green interfaces, it covers only partially most of the time, but similar to the BOM armor it can materialize to cover the rest when she needs it to. She fights with curved knife blades and has a bladed gauntlet for her tail to give her tail whip more damage)

\- Zeitre, He/Him, Zeitre or Zei for short, is the tech expert, his specialty focuses on programming and hacking, he has a bubbly personality that he uses to tease keith often. He isnt much for combat and tends to focus on long distance cover for the crew during raids, he rarely goes anywhere without his sister Retri and tends to look to her for support when his self esteme is low.

Zeitre and Retri joined the crew a two years before Thannu, they were black market dealers who got cause in the middle of a planetary civil war and fled from there. They were migrating to and fro for sometime before running into keiths crew and asking to join. They wished for security with their trade and offered their reputation and knowledge to assist in heists to get better coin.

(A human-like alien, except his skin is similar to an amphibians and is bright yellow. He has ridges along his head instead of hair, he has bulby finger tips without any claws, His eyes are blue and human like, he needs regular rehydration cause of his thin amphibious skin)(He wears light armor that has a orange and red scheme. He has two single handed blasters on his belt and a two handed rifle on his back)

\- Retri, She/Her, Retri or Rei for short, is also a tech expert, tho her specialty isnt software its hard ware, her serious personality rivals Zei's bubbly one, she sees her brother fondly, amused by his antics. She is much larger and sturdier then Zei, while he focuses on long range she takes the fight to the aggressor. She has no issue with defending and supporting her brother in his lows, since she grew up faster she took the role of the protector towards her brother.

Retre and Zeitre have been with the crew for 8 years.

(Same species as Zeitre, Her skin is more orange then yellow, she lacks the skull ridges he has, but she has the bulby fingers and amphibious skin, her eyes are purple, she is half a head taller then zeitre cause females of their race are bigger then males)(She wears a set of light armor that matches his brothers, hers is a color scheme of white and yellow insead of red and orange tho. She wears gauntlets on her hands to fight hand to hand and has a short bladed staff for when she cant fight hand to hand)

\- Thoreik, She/Her, She is probably the oldest of the crew in appearance, she has been around the longest and has seen the crew disband and reform a few times. She has taken the role of keiths parental figure, and refuses to call him by his name, she wil only call him kit, even when in the enemies preseance. She is like the tank of the team, going into battle first swords in hands, she really likes to kick for some reason... it lead to her losing her leg some years before. She has the personality of a mother lion, fierce, aggressive and protective.

Thoreik has been with keith for nearly three hundred years (galra live five hundred years in this universe normally) she was a bounty hunter after keiths bounty for many years with many run ins before she met him face to face, his young appears took her off guard long enough for keith to subdue her and flee. When she found him again his crew had disbanded and he was alone, and yet keith refused to give up, she had come to consider him fondly by then. From then on she had followed keith, promising to fight for him til the day she could no longer hold a blade.

(A galra, she has light lilac and grey fur and has big ears like sendak, she rivals sendak in size too, yellow pupilless eyes obviously, her left leg is a prothetic where she hides weapons)(Thoreik wears stolen commander armor that she refurbished to remove the empires ensignia, Her main weapons are twin short swords, but she has a few throwing knives she keeps on her person always)

\- Jukhi, They/Them, is kind of a jack of all trades, they make it their focus to collect information due to the amount of times their trivia knowledge has saved the crew from disaster. They have been with the crew second longest and over time have seen many crew come and go, they have come to the conclusion that they shouldnt get attached to any new comers, only thoreik has earned their trust. To the newbies they are distant and often really rude and snide, but to keith and Thoreik, they are very excitable, chattering off endlessly while keith or thoreik watch on fondly.

The difference between Jukhi and the others is that Juhki didnt ask to join, they were recruited by keith. Keith and Thoreik and their crew at the time (two misc aliens that didnt stay long) had all but adopted them, they were young and alone in a slave port keiths crew was raiding. Jukhi had sworn their life to keith and his crew, and was personally betrayed by any crew that left or disbanded cause they saw the crew as family. They had been in keiths crew for almost 170 years now, their race longer living then galra, living up to 800 years.

(A genderless species, they are insect-like but not intirely, they have a light translucent exoskeleton covering half their face and most of their body, it has a milky color and slightly teal cause of the muscles and organs showing slightly beneath, they have a high pitch hissy voice and green compound eyes)(Jukhi prefers heavy armor plating similar to their exoskeleton, cause light armor is strange to them, He fights with a staff, that has retractable blades at the ends)

\----

Keith of course is immediately seen as an enemy cause of his galra appearance and the princess and paladins attack him the second he disembarks from red.  
(insert badass pirate/paladin showoff)

After the fighting slows to a standstill (cause six pirates used to combat can of course over power the paladins when three arent used to battle, im looking at you lance, pidge and hunk)

Allura has an epiffany moment where she is like "WAIT, I KNOW YOU!" (cause although keith was restricted to remain home bound by illness, i assume zarkon is the kinda parent to show off his kids) And keith who was sword locked with shiros robo arm is like "ive never met you in my life wtf???"

Allura goes all racist rage and goes "THATS THE FIRST PRINCE OF THE GALRA EMPIRE" and keith just shrugs cause he has long assumed his family is gone and that he wasnt a prince anymore and he says so like "Not anymore im not" and Zeitre stumbles with his gun exclaiming "boss your a prince!?!?!?"

"I just said not anymore!" keith huffs

"i dont think you stop being a prince by denying it kit" Thoreik says lightly (insert aggravated keith noise)

So allura being overly blinded by her hatrid of galra assumes keith is here to steal the lions and joins shiro and trying to subdue keith, which is a dumb move cause while keith is struggling with shiro that doesnt mean he is an easy target... like his crew subdued lance, hunk and pidge... with minimal losses, so its six versus two...They don't stand back anymore when they see the princess and shiro tag teaming keith.

After shiro and allura are brought down and restrained, thannu looks at them and goes "I am concerned of how the pink one knew of you sir"

Keith rolls his eyes "it doesnt matter, find a place to lock them up" (their ship was left behind when they stole red cause red went right to arus much to their displeasure)

"sure thing boss" Zei and Re with thannu gather the half unconscience paladins and choose a random hallway to follow "Im gonna go ssscout their bassse" Jukhi hisses quietly

"do that" keith looks back at red and gets like a nagging of a memory before looking back up at the castle and feeling the same nagging. He blames it on stress and follows his crew inside the castle, cause he needs a new base since his badass pirate ship was lost.

Keith enters the castle with thoreik at his side.

\----

Fast forward past the scenes of Jukhi finding coran and subduing him to lock with the other paladins in a hallways of storage rooms, the amphibian siblings stand outside the locked closets, Retri casually converses with thannu while Zeitre watches the closets warily.

Keith and Thoreik return from exploring the castle "it seems this place has been abandoned for quite sometime" keith says

Thoreik nods "these aliens most likely only claimed this castle a short time ago, it is lacking in the most basic matenance, tho it looks like they may have started to fix some of the basic life support functions"

Retri's eyes narrow slightly "why does a castle have life support systems..."

Zeitre looks as confused as his sister for a moment before his eyes light up and him and his sister exclaim in sync "IS THIS A SHIP!?"

Jukhi who just turned into the hallways from around the corner "it would appear sssso" they hiss narrowing their eyes at the noise the siblings made "sssshould we be disscussssing thisss ssso closse to the prissonersss"(Retri makes a face at how long the hisses draw out this sentence)

Thannu looks at the storage closet doors "They are not in a position to do much with such knowledge" she said evenly

Jukhi narrows their eyes further and stands beside keith and thoreik. Keith rolls his eyes and looks at the doors as well "these rooms will make interigation difficult"

Retri whispers "and awkward" her brother nods

Jukhi speaks up again "I located ssseveral interigation roomss in a lower floor"

Thoreik nods turning to the others "We can move them there to get information"

Thannu and Retri nod in affirmation, Zeitre looks slightly pale at the prospect of letting them out but nods as well. Jukhi simply moves to the closest door and opens to reveal a slightly green hunk, who pales when the door opens.

\----

Fast forward to move, hunk and coran fight the least, pidge and lance fight the most. Each paladin and altean are chained in seperate interigation cells. And we start with allura.

\---

Keith with thoreik and Jukhi at his back stands before allura, while she glares all the rage she can muster at him. Keith just sighs internally and signals for thoreik to start.

"We have a few questions, i hope your feeling cooperative." Thoreik crosses her arms and narrows her eyes, not liking the aggression and hate pointed at keith.

The crew has a very whatever attitude about keith being a prince, but thoreik and jukhi being the ones who have proven themselves the longest have learned about keiths immortality and know he has been around long enough that no one alive in this time should know of who he was before now, so they especially are wary of allura. Even if thannu, Zeitre and Retri dont get the signifigance they see that their seniors are wary so they are on guard even if they dont show it.

Keith watches allura as if she had all the secrets of the universe, his head was beginning to ache with that same tugging sensation he got from the lion and castle. Jukhi as if he sensed keiths weakness steps slightly closer to him.

Allura sneers at Thoreik "What could you possibly wish to know!? You have the lions! The castle! the paladins your prisoner! what more could you possibly want!?"

Thoreik just shakes her head "Oh, well you see, we dont care about your little crew or your lions" Allura scoffs as if thoreik was spouting nonsense, Jukhi bristles quietly at keiths side "What we want to know is how you know about kit, cause you see" Leaning over the table between them as allura's expression becomes confused "No one but those in this room know about how long kit has been around."

Keith steps up beside thoreik as she straightens, jukhi following close behind, allura opens her mouth "what do yo-" Jukhi interupts "Bosss, hasss been called many thingsss over the yearsss, but only you have called him a princccce" their hiss lingers in the room quietly

(my brain just gave up on me, im terrible at dialog)

Allura is angry for a while and then she gets really confused cause she has no idea whats going on. Cause she knows keith as a sickly prince kept away from the universe, but the galra before her with red alteans marks down his face, the face of the sickly prince she knew, is anything but the weak and meek boy she was told of, he is a boy with the eyes of someone who has lived for hundreds of years.

The group presenting themselves as pirates, the crew that subdued the newest paladins and secured the castle for their own, she doesnt know what to make of it. She is still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for them to drop the facade and exacute her on the spot and hand the lions over to zarkon.

allura being the stubborn woman she is, doesnt answer their questions directly, so keith doesnt get answers. Nor does he realize that zarkon is the father he cant remember the name of, so they move on to question shiro.

(like she assumes keith knows all about what happened at the start of the war and is messing with her, but keith has been pirating without any knowledge of what happened between altea and daizabaal or the original paladins during and after thr rift incedent. He doesnt know about the empires inner workings, he only knows what the empire spouts in their propaganda and he chose not to follow the empire because of what it became)

It doesnt take long for them to realized shiro is the champion of the galra, the same one with wanted posters in every system, when they off handedly mention the bounty during the interigation, shiro stiffens at the thought of returning to the arena.

Thoreik mentions it might be a mercy to claim the bounty with him corpse rather then return him alive, keith doesnt say anything, but he secretly decides not to hand shiro over to the empire.(he is probably considering whether shiro would join his crew or not)

Before they can move to the next intergation chamber the castle alarms blare, startling the pirates and prisoners. Zeitre yells over them asking whats going on, while jukhi checks the interigation chambers for tampering. The crew darts to the bridge just as the castles power crystal explodes in the observation deck below. Zeitre and Retri leave the control consoles they were reading due to the lack of power and turn to thannu who removes her visor.(cause its dark in the room now instead of blinding blue and white)

They decide to split up, the siblings and jukki make sure the prisoners dont escape and keith, thoreik and thannu search for the cause.   
(insert sendak coming in expecting the paladins and getting pirates)

Thoreik versus sendak, thannu versus haxus, keith clearing out the sentries, the paladins escaping and subduing the siblings while jukhi darts into the vents to warn keith.  
(insert the scene where the siblings are tied up with coran watching over them and Zeitre just goes "can we get some hydration packs?")

The paladins storming the bridge to find sendak and haxus subdued and the pirates just standing over them, they are all fozen for a bit just staring at eachother. Then jukhi drops out of the ceiling vent right in the middle of the room like "oh"

\--- Confrontation number two! tba ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what the endgame for this idea is gonna be...


	10. My lord messiah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seperated with no hope of contacting base keith has to figure out how to get back on his own, that is if the locals will let him leave...

So this takes place after keith goes with the blade, but before he meets his mother and visits the space whale.

Following a lead about a quintessance shipment turns out to have been a trap, keith and the team he is currently with (a couple of random blade agents) are sent to the edge of galran terittory and are ambushed by antigalra aliens who dont like the blades. They manage to send out a message about the lead being a trap and right before getting absolutely wrecked.

In the ensuing chaos keiths ship is shot down(they were all in seperate ships for convienance of plot) and he gets seperated. Landing on a planet that never heard of the galra or about other life beyond their own planet.

These aliens are little harmless looking guys, like a mix between the arusians and taugeerans(like image the arusians with the taugeeran plate exoskeleton armor, little tiny warriors, with matching bone weapons)

Keith is now stranded and is found by the local populous who believe he is a god fallen from the heavens and they bring him to their biggest temple to test him, against his explinations of the war or other life beyond their planet or anything.

The test happened to consist of a quintessance sensitive crystal that also fell from the "heavens" and keith who happens to be quintessance sensitive himself accidently resonates with it making it glow and shocking the locals into worshiping him as their god of the hunt or war or battle or something.(cause of his behaviour so far and the fact he is covered in strange armor with a strange weapon)

Keith of course is having none of their nonsense and tries to run off every chance he gets to fix his ship and leave. When the locals realize their god isnt gonna stay they panic and over power keith and knock him out(but like these aliens are little weak guys, so they probably drug him).

He then wakes up in a glorified cage in the middle of their big temple, its a pretty cushy cage tho being their god and all, but still a glorified cage. Oh yeah, they changed his clothes while he was unconscience too, he is now in pretty silk like flowy robes and pretty jewelry!

Keith learns real quick the little alien warriors sure know alot making prisons when he fails to find a way to escape, he even goes as far as to attack any alien that comes into the cage to bring him food or anything and it just makes the aliens happier, cause like "THE GOD OF BATTLE HAS DEEMED ME WORTHY FOR BATTLE" 

(tbc cause thats all i got for ideas so far)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one just popped into my head earlier and is still unfleshed.


	11. As many times as it takes... (Heith) (one-sided Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...Why would you need anyone else?" 
> 
> "...Aren't I enough keith?"
> 
>  
> 
> *...As many times as it takes..."

College/University setting.

The garrison is a college of astrological science and engineering, where the voltron crew are studying.

Keith and shiro are childhood friends and when keith is struggling shiro helps him apply and get into the garrison with scholarship programs or something.

So when Keith gets in his friend group of just Shiro and Matt, extends from Matt to pidge and in extention hunk and lance cause they are a package deal. Also the girls Romelle and Allura,(cause I ship platonic shallura so hard) cause they know shiro. Everyone knows shiro. 

Kidge are roommates in the dorms, cause pidge applied as a boy. (pidge is they/them in this one)

So its not obvious at first cause keith himself doesnt notice his own feelings cause he is a disaster, but he is slightly smitten by hunk after awhile. But due to many misunderstandings and a very possesive shiro, everyone thinks shiro and keith are dating already when they first met him. (they dont say it right to keiths face, so him being a social disaster as well, doesnt catch the subtle hints everyone spouts. Shiro is just being super uncool by letting people believe they are dating and by chasing off anyone who keith even looks heart eyes at. going so far as cementing the belief that he is dating keith into alot of peoples minds)

like "we wouldnt wanna get in the way of your and shiros time together" and keith going "oh alright? another time then? guess its just you and me shiro"

Several times shiro just straight diverts keiths courage when he is going to confess to hunk or even interupting time keith tries to have alone with hunk. (seriously rude shiro...)

When keith finally gets a chance to ask hunk out he is nervous like "but what about you and shiro?" then keith goes "what about me and shiro???" and hunk goes "you are dating shiro???" "Im not dating shiro hes like my brother wtf???" and both keith and hunk are confused. but they get over it and have a cute little moment together.

Then shiro goes full crazy and yells at keith after he seperates from hunk. And when keith makes it clear to shiro he needs to back off shiro just knocks him out cold and drags him into his car.  
(seriously NOT COOL SHIRO)

Keith wakes up some time later in a hot dusty room, tied up. It turns out shiro dragged him out to that desert shack that was their special hide out or whatever. And keith is not happy.

Meanwhile shiro is at university, telling everyone who asks that keith isnt feeling well and stayed at his place. Hunk is of course confused cause keith told him shiro and him arent dating and shiro is telling everyone they are. When he asks shiro about keith, shiro not so politely tells him to back off or else. (BE NICE TO HUNK)

So hunk who is kinda unsetled backs off, for now.

And we cut back to keith, who is probably sweating away all his water and is mighty thirsty right now. And he probably passed out abit, he comes to and shiro has arrived and is really chipper, cause he has keith all to himself.

\---tbc, ill come back to this when i have more---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not do nsfw, so this is just gonna be creepy with the non-con touching and kissing but no rapey rapey...


	12. I will carry these sins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Altea is a properous planet, they welcome all who come seeking a better life...
> 
> ...that is, til the war came.

Keith is full galra and looks it, tho he is still small for a galra. He is from the pre -war era, before altea was destroyed by the empires rise.

Before the war with the galra, alteans had galra and other alien immigrants on altea, keith himself was a servant in the castle, but after the war began the galra citizen rights were taken, those who didnt escape were made slaves by the alteans to keep them from joining the galran ranks in the war.

of course the galra are a warrior race and they dont submit, so they would be restrained and junk, like collars, cuffs and muzzles.

So now keith is a slave in the castle, poor muzzled keith, he doesnt know when to quit.

Keith is of course far from submissive and gets punished like alot, and when the galra show signs of winning over altea and the castle ship launches. keith ends up with it.

Alfor puts keith into cryo with allura and coran so they have a servant when they wake up and you just know keith is terrified. Like he hears the galra are winning and he believes he will be freed by his people only to get frozen and told he will remain a slave... poor keith...

So when the garrison crew come and the cryopods release keith probably falls flat on his face(cause you know alfor had to chain him up to keep him from taking advange of whoever woke them) the garrison crew are freaked about the galra, but even more so the fact he is in rags, thin as a twig and wrapped in chains.

Of course as humans they are so not okay with slavery, especially shiro who was a slave not too long before.

The story follows along as the paladins try to make life easier for keith as he fufils his duties and the alteans being spitful for them being nice to keith so they punish him more behind their backs, just angst all over the place.

Keith being restricted as a slave (maybe his collar or cuffs keep certain doors from working) can't goto the hangers, even tho he feels reds call, and the alteans are all confused by the red lions fussiness when it was proven lance could pilot her (cause lance got red out of the galra ship and they formed voltron before retiring them to their hangers) 

Things get worse when they find out keith is who red wanted, cause the black paladin that betrayed altea and started the war was galra, gasp, shock, horror, ect (coran has a change of heart around this point tho he doesnt show it right away)

The story just goes on with the angst til allura finally gives in and takes off keiths muzzle like "he can pilot the lion but i wont like it!" Allura still bullies and punishes keith in the background

Mind you keith doesnt tell anyone cause hes afraid allura wont let him pilot red, so he is really submissive and jumpy.

the turning point is when they find out its the black lion the galra are tracking and allura cant subconsciencely blame keith for the galra attacks (like how could he have??? he literally has no galra friends or access to galra channels??? everything has changed after ten thousand years)

Add to that the fact they met Ulaz a "good galra" who noticed keiths cuffs and collar (like how can you not?) and took keith aside at some point during the mayhem to tell him he is welcome in marmora (free the boy please)

So while keith is debating if he want to leave (which he doesnt cause his relationship with red is super tight and she loves her fluffy son) to goto marmora or stay and deal with not being more then a slave, (like how does that work... he is a slave... but still a paladin?.. dont question it lucas... dont question it)

Since keith is a slave and was frozen for ten thousand years i doubt he'd have a marmora blade, so the trials can't happen how they did in canon. Allura doesn't really trust keith to goto the marmora base after they fix the black lion tracking issue, but the red lion is the only one that could make the path safely so she had no choice.

When they get to base keith says he want to join and shiro goes "gasp didnt see that coming" and kolivan is like "you must do the trials" and he does and shiro and kolivan from the observation room, see the pre-war altea visions and stuff and like

keith as a servant still with his father (keith is full galra in this one) and his father telling him they have to leave altea cause something is coming, and keith knowing what is coming is conflicted, cause even tho alteans enslave the galra immagrants, the galra turn worse after the war starts. so he doesnt leave and stays with altea (giving up his freedom cause he knows he can make a difference in the future)

Then the vision splits to the war and keith and the galra being enslaved on altea, and it shows the suffering and pain they went through to be subjugated cause they would not surrender. and again the vision diverts from the memory, giving keith the option of getting revenge on the alteans (like maybe it gives him the choice of killing alfor or something) and alfor is there taunting him about the fall of the immagrants who only came to altea for a new life, but again keith decides that he will let himself suffer so he can make a difference in the future after he is frozen, the vision cuts off when he is chained and shoved into the cryopod.

Keith comes to and shiro is there conflicted and the BOM crew is yelling to give up the blade , you know how the scene goes in canon, except this isnt his moms blade its a blade he was given for the trial and he isnt unaware of his heritage, he just wants to join the cool ninja club.

So yeah, red beating up the astroid, BOM crew yelling, Shiro conflicted but defending keith, and keith like "just f*cking take it" and then wooosh, it turns into a sword and the blades just stop and are like "oh... it did the thing"

so now with a shiney new sword and alot of bruises and trauma, they fly back to the castle with kolivan. Allura is still sour about keith going, realizes he joined their blade club and throws a tantrum "how dare, you are my slave, blah blah" and shiro and kolivan who saw the memory vision defend him and allura is like "betrayal"

the garrison trio is of course confused cause they didnt get any exposition on what went down, they are kinda hurt also at the fact keith joined another club while they thought he was part of their club.

later on when everything cools down allura tries to corner keith alone like she has in the past to punish him for joining the blades, but this time the garrison trio to the rescue! cause i need a reason to show them how unwelcome and in danger keith still feels, so they understand why he joined the blade.

Endgame is keith leaving for the blade after zarkon is defeated and voltron isnt needed anymore. like in this AU there was no kuron, or disappearing shiro. so keith vanishes. maybe it continues as him fighting from the blades side when lotor joins the picture but thats pretty much as far as i got.

ps. the alternate route is if keith continued as a paladin when lotor appeared, i imagine allura would be completely okay with the whole "hoktril" party, so yeah... let the boy be happy damn it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And hello heavy angst...


	13. The knowledge you carry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galra have never been accepting of halfbreeds...

This AU starts on earth with krolia and keiths dad. The concept is simple, not even the blade is okay with half breeds, so when krolia has keith she left him because she wanted to protect him not just from the empire but also from the blade.

With nothing but his mother blade when his father passes away, keith stays out in the desert, hiding from child sevices and staying in his fathers shack.

At some point the BOM come to earth to retrieve krolias blade (cause seriously those things dont grow on trees krolia you think they'd really accept your "i lost it tee hee ;P" excuse???) and they find keith, a scrawny half starved kid in the middle of the desert and when he demands they tell him what the blade means they realize what krolia did. 

So they take keith, cause they realize he is krolias child and just abduct him into space. Since he had the blade they assumed he knew more then he should and decided they needed to keep him on a tight leash.

So little scawny ten year old keith was abducted by aliens and very freaked out, cause they keep asking him what he knows about marmora and he has no idea what marmora is. 

So like, really f*cked up BOM beat a ten year old for information, get none, and decide to just "well we cant let him go now, he knows too much" and slaps a collar on him  
the collar has tech in it that not only prevent him from using the dna tech, like doors and shuttles. It shocks him too and keeps track of his location on base.

Years later keith realizes a few things. one, his mother was an alien. two, his mothers race was not nice. three, he probably shouldnt have run from that social worker years ago. four, he is royally f*cked.

So keith is now a glorified slave working under the galra at the marmora base, like he is the bottom of the totem pole here, he is gagged during important events and meetings cause they really dont want him interrupting (also cause i want muzzle whump)

one such event is the arrival of the red lion, which for some reason keith can feel, even tho he doesnt know what it is yet. He is called to standby outside of the meeting hall, where shiro and lance are being all diplomatic, tho he doesnt know it.

So since the path doesnt open again for two days the paladins are given lodging while kolivan decides what to do, and who is their escort you ask? its keith, yay  
They immediately flip of course like "YOU HAVE A HUMAN HERE!? WHY IS HE MUZZLED AND COLLARED!? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOOD GALRA!?"

and kolivan is both uncaring about keith being a slave and unhappy keith's preseance became an issue. he is just like "the halfbreed is a slave"

badda boom! badda bang! drama!

the paladin demand the blade surrenders keith, kolivan gets several headaches, lance makes a huge fuss, shiro blocks keith from the BOM so they dont drag him away and keith, well he is in shock cause like "omg humans are here, omg they wanna free me, omg im gonna get punished cause of this arent i, omg i think im gonna faint" but like he is gagged so he cant say all that and he just faints and shiro cradles him in his arms, cause you know lance wont do it, that disaster of a bi.

one disaster later keith is brought to the castle ship, cause kolivan wants peace and quiet and lance is not peace and quiet.

So keith wakes up to blue lights and white walls and proceeds to have a panic attack cause omg everything is supposed to be purple wtf.

cue coran coran the gorgeous man to save the day and tell the boy to relax his tots. Keith, who is forbidden from speaking to the point they muzzled him of course stays quiet cause like, he has been a slave for nine years, that kind of conditioning needs a recovering arc to fix it!

but like this is just the angst part, and its over now keith is free!

\----tbc if i have more ideas---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic originally was supposed to be a what if scenerio of the blade trials. 
> 
> The trials are "knowledge or death" but in canon when it is assumed keith would fail to awaken the blade they only demanded the blade and not demanded his life? 
> 
> So i thought, the simple act of knowing the blades is knowledge they deem too great to carry by an unbounded member. The one with the knowledge would have to surrender their "life"
> 
> But that wouldnt have worked if shiro was there, so i added onto the AU with the scenerio that the blade sent agents to earth for the missing blade.
> 
> Again that wouldnt have worked because of keith's age, him being so young and small they would never consider him for the trials.
> 
> In the end i went with "galra don't like halfbreeds" scenerio, them assuming keith held knowledge of the blade as a non-blade member and then finding his heritage after keith mentions its his mothers. Leading to further mistratment.


	14. Rise of the immortal (info dump intermission)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An info dump for the ROTI universe

The bayards and talismans

-The talismans were the compilation of the last of the alteans power. They were created by accident during their attempt to seal Zarkon, It was descovered that the talisman had absorbed all the altean power. Five 'paladins' were chosen to wield them one from each clan, Altean for red, Olkari for green, Balmeran for yellow, Baku for blue, and Taujeeran for black.

The talismans had magnified their strengths and together they sealed zarkon and voltron divided and vanished. 

The Blue talisman, the first talisman found within an ancient altean temple which begins their journey, it houses the power of the loyal spirit of the blue lion.

The Green talisman, The second talisman found within a hidden grove and no troubles are found during its recovery, it houses the inquisitive spirit of the green lion.

The Yellow talisman, The third talisman found within an abandoned mining site and is found in the middle of an ambuse of lesser demons, it houses the the courageous spirit of the yellow lion.

The Red talisman, The fourth talisman found and hardest to recover, was snatched right from Sendak's possession during the battle for the castle, it houses the instinctive spirit of the red lion.

The Black talisman, and last talisman found is recovered from a hidden room within the castle, it houses the supportive(couldnt think of anything else, might change it) spirit of the black lion.

It is implied throughout the story that each of the paladins are decended from the original paladins clans. Pidge from olkari, Hunk from balmera, Lance from Baku and Shiro from Taujeer. Keith is the only one not connected to the original clan formula, because the alteans are all gone, his inability to use the bayard was an example of this, not only because he was away from the talismans influence, but because it was slowly evolving to fit with keiths marmora heritage.

Because of this each paladin has a specialty common to their associated clan.

Pidge can send out their aura to possess things like tech. This is similar to how the bayards work, only the power and similar aura can subdue galra. So with this ability Pidge can use anything at their disposal to fight.

Hunk has healing powers, his aura can also project vague feelings (warm hugs) With hunks support coran is able to get the healing pods up and running. He eventually will learn to communicate with the aura of the earth, using that aura to assist the team.

Lance has the ability to create portals, he has difficulty keeping portals open without the blue talisman's assistance. It is why the blue talisman was able to create a portal when awakened earlier in the story.

Shiro's arm, tho not mentioned earlier is enhanced with demon gliphs. They only appear when he fights, they use his aura so his arm can act as a defence agains demons. Later when they recover the black bayard (will mention what happened to it in the bayard section) Shiro descovers his ability to create defensive shields around himself and the other paladins.

Keith relies on his mother's blade in the beginning before recovering his talisman and awakening his bayard. His blade is similar as the blade in canon, spooky and purple and all. The marmora blade has been shown to be the only thing that can kill a demon til the marmora is revealed. When he begins to rely on the bayard and talisman he begins to notice how it strengthens his ability to sense auras, like when he felt the blue talisman, it takes a huge learning curve before he can come to use the sense to his advantage.

The stronger the paladin / talisman bond, the more magnified their auras become, making their abilities stronger over time.

The bayards

Each bayard was built to only work for the user of the matching talisman. 

The Blue bayard which takes the form of a magic gun, thats a mix between a handgun and a rifle, projects aura into bullets or beams that stun and subdue demons.

The Green bayard which takes the form of a hookshot (from legend of zelda, cause seriously thats basicly what their bayard is and tazer/hookshot!) projects aura into the hookshot blade creating a tazer like effect towards demons.

The Yellow bayard which takes the form of a heavy blaster, Projects huge amounts of aura per shot stunning even the largest of demons.

The Red bayard which takes the form of a broad sword, projects aura into the edge of the blade to subdue demons.

The black bayard is currently out of the paladins possession, its with zarkon, but not in the same way as in canon. The bayard was left in zarkons seal as extra leverage to keep him down, it is the reason Sendak cannot release zarkon, He cannot pull the blade out.(imagine like the sword in the stone story, its like that but there is more then one way to pull a sword out of a stone)

\---

The five clans, (the altean, balmeran, olkari, taujeeran, and baku) all has a specialization they are known for.

-The alteans were known for their strength to fuse their power together to seal even the strongest of galra, like Zarkon. (like how the talisman fuse their power to create voltron) 

They sacrificed all their power to seal zarkon, essentially surrendering their place as one of the five clans, since none of their powers could be passed down to their children anymore. The only remaining alteans allura and coran no longer have the power to seal demons, the last of their power used to seal themselves within the 'castle' to protect the legacy of the alteans the 'talismans of voltron' (they were also the center of the war against the galra, they taught the other clans their power of sealing demons, creating the aliance among the clans)

-The balmerans were known for their healing power, they had a intimate relationship with the aura of the earth itself, being able to ask the earth to fight with them. (whispers"earth benders")

Over the last ten thousand years the demon preseance has become docile and barely there, the way of the balmerans have changed from ruthless demon slayers to reclusive healers. The balmerans have a colony far from modern civilization where they have turned their focus to living in harmony with the earth, healing the aura the modern era has been harming. Their legacy is their crytals the earth has gifted them for their loyalty, these crystals have been dubbed balmeran crystals cause they share the clans healing power. (The balmerans gifted healing pods to the alteans back during the galras active era ten thousand years ago, they have become inactive after lack of matenance)

-The olkari were known for their ability to project their aura to possess stuff (mostly inanimate objects and plants and fungi) This ability is used similarly to the bayards ability, giving normal mortal objects the ability to subdue demons, since regular stuff and humans cant do anything to galra.

Over the last ten thousand years the olkari integrated with in to modern society and has hidden their colony in plain site, in the middle of a city. After stablizing society from zarkons after math they became leaders in the tech era, using their abilities to form intimate relations with tech to better understand it. They have chosen to follow the path humanity is moving towards, even tho many other clans have decided to keep tradition.(the olkari in the past were the one who created the bayards, thats why the bayards match their power as a medium)

-The Baku were known for their ability to create connections between vast distances, the strongest of which were even able to create portals between the demon and earth realm. (they lacked the power to travel back and forth tho, it would only be a one way trip traping whoever chose to go to the demon realm) 

Over the past ten thousand years similar to the balmerans, the baku chose to segregate from modern society. The baku is an all women clan, there have been men, but the baku put most stock in their women, cause women have stronger ablilities. They have set up a colony within the mountains, where underground springs and rivers are plentiful, water has been shown to help magnify their powers. The baku have created a type of accessory to extend their telepathy to other clans to keep in contact. (allura and coran have prototypes of these 'comms' that they give the paladins to use when they travel to the balmera.)

-The taujeerans were by far the most docile of the clans, they werent known for their fighting prowess, they were masters of endurance and defence. Their gliphs (like symbol writting?) hold the power of protection and to create protective barriers.

Over the past ten thousand years they became the most reclusive of all the clans, even with the Baku trying to keep connected they have closed themselves off, wishing to remain segregated from not only society but societies conflicts. They are highly against violence and war after the history of the galra, and wish to be away from humanities infighting. They have staked out a colony in a archgapeligo of islands, tho the islands are highly volcanic, they have used their protective powers to avoid disasters. (They were the ones who gifted the alteans their protective barriers and granted protection to the paladins uniforms)

-The marmora, tho they arent known by the clans, are a clan of their own. They have taken it upon themselves to create order within the remaining demon populous on earth, while the remaining clans believe the demons have been banished. They have the abilities as galra not only to end other galra's lives, but also the power to feel and read auras.

The marmora rose up after a demon prince named marmora sacrificed their power to subjigate the remaining demons under one law, but only the demons that were on earth when marmora did this are bound by this law. (demons that had been sealed or are summoned later are not subjigated under the clan) The law was harmony, to live in balance with the world in a new era, cause marmora saw it as the only way to escape the fate of zarkon. The marmora, unlike the other clans, isnt centralized, they are spread out world wide, with bases hidden everywhere. Their daggers were created as a sign they are of marmora's law, and is the key to enter any of their hidden bases.

\---Clan structures.---

Each clan has a base structure of, 

-Queen/King who leads the clan as a keeper of the clan legacy (it has changed to Priest/Priestess after ten thousand years)(They are incharge of updating the history of the clan, while also training the paladins in their demon slaying)

-Advisors who make up the keeper's council (They are there to support the people and share the keepers voice)

-Maidens/knights are those studying under the keeper to learn the abilities of the clan (like interns for demon slaying magic)(the term was changed to paladins to pay tribute to those who brought the end to zarkon)

-Peasents are those who have either chose not to follow along in training or lack the ability (the term has been changed to just citizens in recent years)(They basicly take care of the menial not magic tasks that keep the clan running smoothly)

\---The other common terms amoung the clans---

-Colony, which is where the clan has its headquarters or has settled. 

-Aura, which is the power within one born amoung the clans that has the ability to manifest to fight demons. Humans without clan blood cannot call upon their aura therefor cannot fend off demons.

-Law, a pact usually bound by aura that cannot be broken without consequence. Most bound laws will cripple or kill those who break them.

-Realm, The worlds that are connected to earth through aura. The galra empire/Demon realm is one such world. Oriande is another realm.

\---I will make more info dumps as the story progresses---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part is meeting the other clans and hints of marmoras influence


	15. Untethered, Unbound, I'm drifting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens if you die as paladin of two lions?

Keith doesnt survive the battle of naxzela, his plan to crash into the barrier backfires, he is too close when lotor destroys the barrier and ship.

Killed in the blast and only matt and the blade know, the coalition celibrates their success, the ensuing lotor drama distracts them from the fact keith isnt around. Matt has to return to the rebellion and assumes the paladins already know and the Blade isnt as conserned(cause they are kinda heartless in this fic sorry)

The paladins never realize, even when someone makes an offhand comment about how keith didnt stop by after the battle (probably lance tbh) but it is forgotten again when clone shiro brings their attention back to lotor drama

\---meanwhile---

Keith who is both connected to the red and black lion but aslo neither, is tugged by their connected astral realms but not bound strong enough to be tethered in them like shiro is sort of flung like a rubber band.

He probably assumes its a weird fever dream, he doesnt know he is dead yet.

It takes a long while of him drifting in space to realize he is dead, and by then it he has drifted to the unstable space in which the space whale resides.

The story is basicly keith wandering the space whale as a ghost when krolia shows up and he kinda just stalks her cause he is lonely and its all sad because krolia doesnt know ehr son is dead and keith doesnt know krolia is his mother.

Then he kinda see's her memories in the flashes and starts to put it together.

Oh yeah, kosmo can see keith. (cause animals can see ghosts, except only if the animal is kosmo in the AU)

Eventually keith just follows krolia out of the quantum abyss and finds his way back to the castle ship and feels all discombobulated cause of the tugs of both red and black, but he sort of yells at them and they stop. (stubborn lions)

Krolia meets the paladins, but in this universe keith isnt there so she doesnt go straight to the paladins she takes a pit stop at the blades, and tells them about lotor and the altean colony (oooooh lotor you're busted!)

Shiro clone goes beserk and keith freaks cause he cant do anything but kosmo is a good alien space wolf dog and keith and kosmo kinda do a thing? and keith kinda possesses kosmo, but no one knows (cause literally how could they?)

Keith/kosmo the fusion (that just looks like kosmo) teleports after shiro and we have the black paladin fight where haggar possesed shiro is very confused and keith possesed kosmo drags him back to the castle after biting his arm off.

On the way back keiths ghost is split from kosmo and difts to blacks astral plane and both shiro and keith are supprised to see each other.

It goes kinda like this, keith "Shiro what are you? you were evil!" and shiro is like "Thats not me! im dead!" and keith goes "how can you be dead??? IM DEAD!" they are both shocked and shiro gets his explination and keith gets his and keith somehow possesses the black lion and flies it to help form voltron, while the paladins think shiro is flying until they look at their video connection and see no one in the seat...

Everything goes crazy and allura does the black lion voodoo and sees both keith and shiro.

Then we have the moment where the paladins realize both shiro and keith died and they never noticed...

Shiro gets the clone body and keith gets nothing... cause there is no keith clone...

\---That's all i got---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda just wanted a fic where keith is a ghost and kosmo is the only one there to support him...
> 
> This fic idea ran away from me...


	16. Who are you? (KIdge)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are no boundaries the druids wouldnt cross

Takes place during the paladin swap, before lotor's introduction.

\---Druids POV---

Humans are sturdy beings, the champion proved that, the galra remember. So when the voltron's halfbreed crashes right on their doorstep, Shaken up but no worse for wear. The perfect specimen for the druids, for you see, Zarkon has been quite under the weather. Haggar takes advantage of the halfbreed's constitution, to revive her emperor.

How you ask? Simple, if the emperors body isn't well, give him a new one.

The little halfbreed's body isn't fit yet to house the emperor though, so haggar must encourage some changes, bring out his galra heratige, give him some bulk and strength, build up his quintessance endurance.

It towers over the druids in its chains, fur fighting scales for cover of its form, Tail like a beast of it's own lashes wildly with no where to go, the bright glow of refined quintessance shines within it's eyes, claws shear through the floor of its containment chamber where they are restrained down, any inteligence it once held is lost to a feral, wild madness.

The changes aren't perfect, but they are better then the start, the druids are satisfied. Time to test out its stability, endurance and strength...

They send the halfbreed to the arena, disoriented and barely coping with it's new appearance, it is forced to adapt and so it does.

Adaptations take longer then the druids hope for, but they improve over the phebes, the feral nature of the halfbreed is a bonus, it shall make the transfer of the emperor's conscienceness go easier.

The next step appears to fail against all careful calculation, The halfbreed rejects the emperor's conscienceness violently, awakening from the tranferance ritual and destroying it's restraints.

The druids are slaughtered, even Haggar is severly wounded before her escape.

The halfbreed has escaped.

Haggar takes some pleasure in knowing the mindless beast has lost the knowledge of piloting, the halfbreed is trapped on the planetside base, lost to the alien wilderness.

Haggar leaves with Zarkons wounded spirit essance stuff and her failed project rampages over the jungle planet's massive landscape.

She has back-ups that would take less effort then trying to break a mindless beast.

\---Paladins POV---

After Keith's disappearance the paladins are only able to recover the black lion (which has blacked out like it did when shiro disappeared) and his helmet.

They search for him of course, but have little luck, even Pidge's search through the galran database turns up nothing.

What they do find is Shiro! (or his clone...)

Maybe Shiro questions where keith is and they tell him of his disappearance and black's state. So Shiro tries black and fails and everyone is confused, but they blame it on the fact keith is blacks paladin now and not on the fact shiro has a weird new hairdo.

Over the next few months the search continues while clearing out the scattered galra army, then they get weird info from an abandoned druid lab (not the one keith was in)

Pidge recovers files from a project that appears to be creating a new Zarkon! Shock! Gasp!

They are still worried about keith but their hopes have signifigantly dropped by now and decide Zarkons return should be a higher priority then keith recovery. (thanks shiro clone, some brother figure you are)

It takes time but they find the encripted file that will lead to the planetside facility the druids used to ruin keiths life.(Takes like a week to decript and shiro is kinda a jerk the whole time saying its not important enough to focus on)

Pidge blows the whistle and everyone is gathered to the bridge where she reveals the coordinates that lead to the druids Zarkon recovery lab and they wormhole there!

(funtime)

The alteans insure the planet has few beast that will be of trouble to the paladins when they land, only like a dog sized cat weasel thing and some plants they shouldn't eat.

Hearing that the paladin trek onward becoming increasingly unnerved by the giant claw marks in the trees and huge weird paw prints (they are weird cause keith doesnt have paws, just distorted hands and feet)

They disregard their worry because of the cat weasel thing coran mentioned, that is until they find a dead weasel cat with huge claw tears threw its side (and keith sort of ate some of it, but leave him be he hungry)

Now more unerved and extremely worried as "nothing in this planets natural ecosystem should be able to do that..."

The paladins find the druids lab without running into the beast keith, that they don't know is beast keith.

And what they find inside is a lab half destroyed by keith and his monster claws that can somehow cut through metal walls, and some dead druids (which are just druid robes filled with dust) And that is enough for them to really be unsettled beyond the level they were before.

Pidge is adament about finding an undamaged console to gain info from while hunk is very very adament about leaving, lance close behind.

They end up finding a console and pidge discovers the project files, after some digging she discovers what the project really is and goes "Oh my god, they used one of their own to create a monster!?" because without images she doesnt consider it might be keith.

Oh yeah as uneasy as lance is he was still snooping around and comes in like "uuuh, guys...." holding up the black bayard, the one that wasnt recovered with the lion or keith's helmet.

And pidge has a "please god no" moment as she puts two and two together 'halfbreed' and 'experiment that left it completely feral'. She dig deeper into the files without telling the paladins her epiphany.

The others are kinda worried cause they now know keith may have been here a some point, here being a druid lab, with only druids...

A roar suddenly echos through the abandoned halls and the crew freaks, cause by then they have figured out that whatever the druids made it escaped and is now loose in the forest they just passed through.

\----Keith's POV (may not be very clear cause he is all instinct)---

He could smell them, they returned, returned to the bad place that hurts, they are gonna make more hurt...

He stalked them, stalked them all the way to the bad place, but did not follow, could not return, never wished to return.

He slowly worked himself into a rage with his thoughts of pain and memories of torture and fighting in the arena and roared as he ran into the bad place.

Deciding that it was better to hurt them before they hurt him, his thoughts carried through his skull like voices directly to his brain, he could barely understand them sometimes, but he could understand the simple one.

Attack or Pain

He had found them in the worse place, they were in the place that had painful metal to hold him down and cold sharp metal that would freese his veins, his roar echoed painfully into his skull in the closed off space.

They had weapons, he did not understand them beyond the pain they could cause, his hackles raised to make himself look bigger to make them fear, to make them understand he would not return to the painful cold metal.

(like image him in this moment, hugs purple chimera of a galra, covered in dirt and filth with rags barely on his body, with solid glowing purple eyes, probably looks scary)

(insert battle here)  
(he sees Shiro as the biggest threat because he is the biggest and his arm is the color of druid magic, so he and shiro wrestle luckily shiros are is stronger then the metal the base is made of cause he uses it to block keiths claws when he can)  
(Hunk and lance are taking shots where they can to distract keith to protect shiro, but they dont do alot of damage cause the druids made keith more then just a mass of muscle)  
(allura jumps in and out of the fray when she can to try and subdue keith before he hurts shiro, it does little more then feed keiths blind rage tho)  
(Pidge on the other hand is conflicted, she is both horrified by how dangerous keith is and by how the thing before them might be keith, but she uses her brain and remembers the entire facility is a containment unit for keiths very strength and she gets a plan)  
(after some deliberation and trying not to die by keiths claws they follow Pidge's plan to lure keith into a cell and lock him in, it works surprisingly easily and then they have their freak out about what keith is and what to do with him, cause pidge hasnt mentioned it might be keith)  
(Shiro may or may not be betraying the team as haggar can see through him sometimes and knows they caught her "failed" project)  
(Keith is extremely angry that he was captured and kinda expects to be hurt again like with the druids)  
(End of battle)

\---Next part is paladins POV and deliberation some more and shock about keith---


	17. Laid bare before us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did you ever consider that mind melding five highly unstable factors wasn't such a good idea?
> 
> Probably never crossed your mind? But then again, it didnt cross their's either...

When the crystal venom begins, instead of focusing on their own things, someone suggests training with the mind meld helmets.

And so, the five paladins sit in a circle in the training room with corans supervision to meditate and bond.

Except, the helmets are a part of the castle too...

And when the castle malfunctions, the paladins minds fuse and they are dragged into each others worst fears and traumatic memories.

They witness Keiths happy childhood with his father be ripped away in an instant. Thrown into a foster system that is underfunded and understaffed. Where he was often pushed away when he needed someone, scolded for things that werent his fault, bullied by other kids who would take what little he had. He sees his unworthiness..

They witness Lance's family big and loving, often over looking him due to the amount of kids running around and numurous mouths to feed. The night's he went hungry so his siblings didnt, The amount of times he only got attention when he was being scolded, The amount of times oppurtunities were lost because his siblings got them first. He see's his worthlessness...

They witness Shiro's trauma buried deep first hand, the blood on his hands as he is forced to kill others just like him fighting for their lives. Feel his hopelessness as his perfectly healthy arm is sawed off without anesthesia and replaced with a prosthetic all while his is forced to stay awake. They see him struggling not to lose himself day by day into his flashbacks that linger from nightmares that never leave him even when he wakes. He sees his weakness...

They witness Hunk's debilitating anxiety as he struggles to keep up with the fact that he is now a soldier of war. They see his sleepless nights where he stays up with shaky hands stress baking and repeating encouraging words to himself under his breath over and over again til morning comes. They feel his unsteadness as he goes into battle everyday, his hesitation and horror when he realizes the enemy is dead and that he stole their life from them.He sees his mistakes...

They witness Pidge's cluttered unsteady mind racing endlessly in fear of what will come when she finally stops. They see her avoid sleep for days on end til she finally surcomes and her fears come to light before her. When the nightmares and fears finally catch up and she sees her family dying before her because she was too late and that she may not make it back either to tell her mother of their fate. She sees her failure...

And as each insecurity, fear and hopelessness piles before them, shared in this torture of a mindspace they now share, they are torn apart violently.

The helmets basicly like break...

They come to, to coran fussing over his console trying to get the terminal to obey him without success.

When the fog in their head clears they realise something in their bond has broken, there is a wall between them that wasnt their before, a wariness and distrust.

The castle alert goes off about them wormholing and they goto the bridge to reinact the canon scene, but afterwards things start to change.

They can't form voltron anymore, their bond has recoiled like a wounded animal, too fearful of getting hurt and exposed again.

They have begun avoiding eachother where they used to seek eachother out, they would become violently aggressive at the first mention of the incident and the alteans are at a loss.

Coran and allura do not know what happened inside their head during the castle malfuction because, allura wasnt there and the screens of shared memory went red when sh*t hit the fan so coran didnt see anything.

It all comes to a head during the next robeast fight (that i have suddenl;y forgotten what fight occurse after crystal venom wtf) Instead of overcoming the issue and forming voltron in the heat of battle they are forced to retreat and allura has a meltdown and scolds all of them.

One big fight later and the paladins are in the training room staring at the mind meld helmets in horror. (thats your solution allura? really?)

She basicly locks them in and her and coran sit up in the control room above saying "your locked in til you do the mindmeld cause your being rediculous"

After a very long stubborn bit of protest they end up in the helmets.

And another long stubborn protest occures where they refuse to let their walls down.

Finally one by one they let their walls down and one by one the team has to accept and sooth each others insecurities and fears.

One mindmeld later and they are less closed off and far closer then before the crystal venom incident. And just for the heck of it they go form voltron.


	18. Our little secret (dont leave me alone...)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the forest, you will never be alone

Keith grew up in a cabin in the forest with his father, that is all he knows.

His mother is the forest, he knows because his father told him so and she is not with them because she had to return to the forest.

His father does not mention much about what is beyond the forest, even though he sometimes leaves for extended periods of time to bring back food and supplies for them.

He is not lonely tho, the forest all around is filled with life, from the mischivous and playful animals to endlessly tall trees.

But that is not all, he also has friends with the tiny people of the forest that flutter around on butterfly wings.

Once he had asked his father why he could see the people of the forest but his father could not, he was told "Your mother took that gift from me the day she left" and although he was a bit sad his father could not meet his friends he was satisfied his father believed they were real.

(Basicly, pidge, lance, and hunk are a fairies. Keith is technically half fairy, cause krolia is a fairy and she left keith to his father bacuse keith didnt have wings or magic, that she knew of)

The day his father left and did not return was like anyother, keith wasnt worried because the people of the forest took care of him when his father was away, but this time he wasnt aware his father would not return.

(like, keiths father's death is the only angst in this story, everything else is just keith getting adopted by a bunch of fairies, its all fluff)

Fairies dont have the same sense of time as humans, so when keith gets worried that his father hasnt returned and has been gone too long they dont understand how long too long is.

But to help cheer him up they promise to be with him til his father returns and so they are, for so many damn years, its in those years that keith realises he stopped aging at some point, and probably also realized his mother was one of the forest people / fairies.

(I wanna put in a ton of fluff scenes with keith and his tiny fairy friends/family but i can't think of anything, the story is just supposed to go on under the assumption keith just lives in the woods for like hundreds of years)

And then shiro shows up! Like somewhere in keiths family on his father's side shiro somehow is given the cabin, dont know why the family ignored it for like five hundred years dont ask me! By year shiro comes and shows up to fix up the cabin that has like become one with nature.

It's like super over grown, the forest is literally growing inside it and keith technically lives there but doesnt? its just sentimentality now...

Did i mention in this shiro looks just f*cking like keith's father.

So after all those hundred of years keith because as bad at keeping track of time as the fairies had and left the cabin for a few months to hang out in fairy land or where ever the fairies go and when he comes back he sees shiro fixing up the cabin and just freezes.

Scene is like - keith "dad?" shiro who is chopping giant vines off the cabin freezes and goes "who's dad?" and keith gives shiro a big old arm full of crying thirteen looking kid and shiro is freaked cause keith definitely look the part of kid growing up in the woods without adults.

After some crying from keith and some freaking out from shiro, keith realizes its not his dad and runs off before shiro can figure out whats going on.

Several cases of keith watching shiro from the woods, sabotaging his efforts by making the fairies grow plants where he clears them out and all out ending in him confronting shiro and saying he cant have the cabin cause its keiths and his dad.

It takes some time for shiro to get keith to calm down and figure out whats going on and of course he finds it hard to believe the kids story about fairies, but hard not too when plants are magicly growing over night where he cleared them out.

Turns out keith can give shiro the gift of fairy sight too! they found out by accident... (probably something to do with his arm :P)

(allura and coran come in as helpers to shiro's fix the cabin project and to make sure he got food and stuff)

(then the fic turns to keith and fairies hanging out with shiro who has far more patience than any mortal ever had, and thats all i got)


	19. So consider this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The holts are aliens

The holts are aliens, samuel and matt are always off doing research on foreign planets.

And earth is considered uncharted by all aliens so the holts decide to be the first to document about it and they go and land in the middle of the desert and get picked up by the governemt and just chill in area fifty one.

Not getting disected or tortured or anything, just to share knowledge cause everyone is super chill in this AU.

And when news that the holt's ship signal went out after they landed on earth, the aliens assume they are lost, and pidge will never accept that so she steals a ship and goes to earth.

Some info on the others---

Keith and lance are roommates, who may or may not be dating but that doesnt matter cause this isnt a klance fic. Lance is a barista and keith is a bartender.

Hunk owns a bakery, cause the world needs his food.

Shallura are platonic and very important space parents, who should probably act more like adults but they dont cause they are both menaces. Allura owns a huge company and shiro is like a celebrity face in the company.

Coran is coran and probably already knows about aliens. Cause he probably knows about alot of secrets. No one knows what coran does for a living, he has a different job everytime they ask... His most consistant thing is advising for alluras business decisions

end of exposition---

So pidge crashes into Allura's mansion, like yeah right throught the roof, during bonding night where everyone gathers at allura's to trash the place.

While the crew is struggling with the existance of aliens and the new hole in the roof and the bill that repairing it will probably cost(yeah no... allura is f*cking loaded... she doesnt care about the cost)

Pidge is extremely unconcerned about the humans and the party she crashed, she just continues recovering what she can from her ship so she can start looking for her dad and bro.

After a bit of fuss where the humans try to explain that, no the alien cant just wander the streets freely, pidge gives in only when they say they will help her find her family.

Keith get his "i told you so" moment, cause he definitely believes in aliens.

Shiro is very tired.

Allura puts up a serious business facade, but is sercretly down for the adventure.

Hunk's feeling are jumping between anxiety about something literally crashing through the roof and really curious about pidge's tech.

Lance is very openly down for the adventure.

Pidge's mind is dead set on finding her family so she is trying really hard not to get distracted about finding life on an uncharted planet. (she gets distracted and then disappointed at the level of tech the humans have)

Pidge gets introduced to human video games and other human stuff over the course of a few weeks. (after doning a disguise of course)

The holts are from a super dense jungle planet so they like, can't see the sky? that is a really big deal when pidge walks out of the mansion for the first time and sees the sun right in her face! (she makes glasses that look like normal glasses but filter light like sun glasses)

Coran wasnt at the house during thye bonding night, cause idk, but when he meets pidge for the first time he makes a comment that only pidge understands and winks. (the humans assumes its just corans normal nonsense and pidge is very shocked)

They introduce pidge to coffee and then regret it when she becomes dependant.

Pidge uses her left over tech and lances computer to make a super computer and everyone just kinda lets her... lance isnt happy about it but keith calms him down...

Eventually they stop fooling around and find out the holts are in area 51 and keith has another "i told you so" moment

So they plan this huge heist and everything, and then get let in when they get caught, then find out the holts were just hanging out the whole time while their ship was getting repaired.

Pidge scolds them about not sending any messages home when they say it slipped their mind (while keith short circuits)

The humans chill at area 51 with a very serious but chill iverson, and then say bye to the holts when they leave to go home. (to get scolded by colleen, cause pidge left a note but still left without asking, and the guys didnt send messages about anything that happened and colleen was worried)

Oh yeah as the crew leaves area 51, coran of handly mentions "this really takes me back" and no one knows whether or not he is serious.

\---The end---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell if I intended this to be crack or not...


	20. Allura makes klance happen (klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title says it all.

I dont hear alot about the kinds of shinanigans Allura gets up to in the castleship so i decided i'll just come up with my own.

After Allura awakens from cryo and comes to terms with the state of the universe and her life getting turned upside down (after the drill sergent skit, the castle take over, and launch of the castle) she decides she wants some normality back.

I imagine she was quite rebelious and mischivious back before the war made things so serious, and her mice are completely supportive of her mischief.

The first hints are of course her trying to nudge pidge about her gender, but she gets more crafty when keith talks about bonding moment "trademark" and sees both lance's deflecting and keiths strong feelings about it.

So she makes plans to be their secret wingman cause klance.

She purposely makes their rooms next to each other, pairs them up for training and drills.

SHE IS THE ONE THAT LOCKS THEM IN THE ELEVATOR!

she has the mice spy on them, so she can have updates.

Has the mice steal their stuff to lure them to the other more then once.

The others don't notice at first, lance and keith cause they are really oblivious...  
Pidge cause she is focused on finding her family,  
Hunk cause he is anxious about the war in general and distracts himself with cooking and tinkering,  
Coran notices everything, coran knows all, coran is a spectator, he finds it highly amusing,  
Shiro notices first and doesn't really care at first (just imagine, shiro walking by spotting allura spying on klance and just raising an eyebrow at her while she scrambles to pretend she wasnt)

Shiro kinda supports her cause he wants his brother to get a boyfriend, but isnt really actively helping project klance.

Allura ordering keith to go fetch lance after his lion is retrieved. 

(just imagine all the convienant klance action that happened in canon is cause of allura, thats the whole fic)

After lance stops trying to flirt with allura we get platonic Allurance. (spa and beauty bonding / girls nights cause pidge wouldnt do it with her)(Shiro gets dragged to a spa bonding night cause he needs rest)

We get platonic Kallura after the marmora/zarkon/shiro missing trainwreck, cause they made up before that battle and are closer after. (Training bonding / enjoying each others company at night when neither can sleep) (Allura and keith finding shiro awake and dragging him to rest)

Lance and keith both thinking the other is either dating allura or wants to date allura and allura trying to use her close friendship to guid them to each other and just not getting through their thick skulls... 

Pidge finding out and "helping" (she locks the two in a closet together)

The closet confession works surprisingly... 

And it only took allura how many seasons? shrug. I'll let you fill in the details, like whether shiro is a clone or not, whether keith leaves to the blade, how the lion swap effects things and all the juicy drama


	21. Shiro the cat dad (shadam)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not what he expected from his early retirement...

I saw a version of this where is was klance i think? but like i want a shiro version where, everyone is cats.

(I literally know nothing about neko atsume (im pretty sure thats what its called... im not certain anymore) beyond their are cats and you feed them, so forgive me)

Shiro is on leave from the military after losing his arm and all the scars and trauma, so he finds a nice cottage/cabin/lodge/whatever and decides to settle reluctantly.

He isnt satisfied with being benched and is super restless at first, cleaning up the place and rummaging through the old owners stuff.

And its during his restless episodes that he meets keith who is a feral red tabby who has been hiding in the storage spaces of the house before shiro moved in.

I imagine shiro being terrible at names and just calling ketih red (and then lance/blue, pidge/green, hunk/yellow lol)

It's after keith refuses to play nice and flees through a hole in the floor out the crawlspace under the house and outside that Adam shows up!

Adam gives shiro the good natured "welcome to the neighborhood" greeting and an offering of foodstuff and then spots keith fleeing.

Shiro mentions how keith... er... "red" was in his house and ran out, and Adam is like "yeah, that cat always stayed in this house before you moved in" and then mentions the astounding amount of cats allowed to roam the area.

Adam leaves after that, and shiro thinks about earning kei- reds trust.

So he goes and buys cat food to try and lure red in, and he completely fails to lure in keith, cause keith isnt on to take bribes.

Keith eats the food when shiro isnt around, so shiro spends more time out on his porch trying to spot red and not getting much luck til he falls asleep outside and wakes up to keith right there staring at him warily.

Flash foward past a lot of patiant shiro and causious keith and "red" oficially decides shiro isnt so bad.

Lance is one of those "blue" cats with the silver fur, he chases keith around and comes around after he follows keith, lance opens up right away. (shiro names lance blue cause of his "blue" fur)

Pidge and Matt are both tortoiseshell cats, pidge is like a kitten twin of cat matt, matt is like lance and very open and trusting, Pidge is wary like keith but doesnt care much for attention, she is just following matt. (Shiro names pidge green caus eher eyes are green, he notices matt after and realizes he cant name matt green too so he names matt "idk yet i gotta think of something")

Adam is there when hunk visits for the first time, hunk is very cautious (like you know those cats that act "careful" not quite "fearful" but just "careful") and only approaches Adam cause he knows adam. When adam hears shiro name hunk yellow for his "sandy yellow" coat he laughs and mentions that most of the cats already have names... shiro just deflates.

Adam tells shiro all the cats names, and shiro is happy to learn keith didnt already have a name (everyone else has their canon names, lance, pidge, hunk, matt, allura, coran, ect) and keith gets dubbed "Red"

The whole fic is just shiro becoming a cat dad and slowing gaining the courage to ask Adam on a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shrug
> 
> EDIT - I remember the fic! I think it was called dirty paws! I'm like 50% sure that was the name, go read it!
> 
> EDIT 2 - I found it it's "dirty paws" by "Dreamicide" I'm gonna go catch up on that read now!


	22. Welcome to Altea's Rehab and Relocate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leading centre for Cryptid rescue and relocate, Welcome to Altea's!

The voltron crew are all cryptids

In a world where cryptids are not hidden and pretty much everyone knows they exist and believes in them.

The world is currently divided on how to treat cryptids, the "galra" are a bunch of people who want to use cryptids and believe they are nothing more then animals. The "alteans" are the group who believe cryptids are sentient enough to deserve rights and protections.

Alfor created a rescue centre for cryptid wildlife that was forced out of their territories by humans or were harmed or indanger in some way. Allura inherited the centre after alfor passed away, coran legally owns it til she comes of age.

Lance is a mer that got stuck in-land when he got overly cocky tormenting tourists and he was injured on some rocky outcrops trying to get back to the ocean. He was brought to the centre for rehabilitation shortly after.

Hunk is a centaur and human encroachment chased his herd from there territory and he was separated during their relocation, he is staying at the centre til his herd is located.

Matt and Pidge are fairies, matt got way to close to humans out of curiousity and was kept as an exotic pet, after a raid for illegal ownership of cryptid creatures he was brought to the centre for rehabilitation, Pidge came the the centre looking for her brother, she doesnt really have any other reason to be there.

Keith is a reclusive Naga who was sort of "worshiped" by the humans that lived near him, they basicly sent "sacrifices" to him and he sent them away, the centre became involved when they learned that the humans were taking his scales and blood for good luck (like not super gorey of violently... just a scale or nick or two at a time) and such a practice is illegal in this world so they relocated a very reluctant and untrusting naga to their centre for rehabilitation.

Shiro is a chimera (lion, eagle, lizard thing, i'll draw it and put the picture here later) who was rescued from a illegal underground fighting ring, he has been staying at the centre for the longest.

Each of the crew has their own space in the centre for their own taliored needs.

Lance has a large pool with a beached incline, in the pool is fish and plants and some rock outcrops with a tunnel system. He spends alot of time on the beach cause his friends don't all know how to swim.

Hunk has like field big enough to run in, some trees for shade and a stable like house to sleep and rest in.

Matt and pidge stay in a dense greenhouse filled with many plants, flowers, vegatables and fruits. They have made their own house within the garden, like a little plant hut.

Keith has a rock mountain like space with caves and dense foliage, complete with a deep enough pond to submerge in and flat rocks for sunning.

Shiro has an enclosure thats a mix between hunk's and keith's. Fields for running and caves to rest and hide in, a small pool to submerge in, with sandy dusty soild so he can sand bathe his feathers.

Matt, Shiro and Keith are best bros, they all hang out all the time in Keith's space, even though keith pretends he wants to be alone. (keith is more accepting of other cryptids then he is of humans)

Hunk, Pidge and Lance are the other best trio, they hang out in Lance's space the most cause he isnt the most mobile. (lance is lonely, he misses his pod of mer, pidge and hunk know this, they are also lonely missing their groups)

\---tbc, will add more to this soon---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> snake keith is best keith.


	23. Welcome to Voltron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All are welcome!

So basicly Voltron is a cult on an island. How do i explain it... So like picture a huuuge river split right through a big city, and their just happens to pbe a plot of land in the middle, thats the island.

And the galra are the police or some kind of law enforcement.

Basicly Allura's father had a big vision for his "voltron" and he was super rich so when he dies Allura takes the inheritance and buys that island to build her father's vision, which is basicly a cult.

Pidge joins because when her father and matt disappears the police arent helpful at all and when she finds out that her father and brother had joined voltron she gets dragged in too.

Lance joins because his sister is there and he promised his family he would bring her home, buuut he got side tracked.

Hunk joined cause he was helping lance get his sister, hunk and lance are childhood friends.

Shiro was targeted by a crime group or serial killer or something and is saved by allura. He is keiths adoptive brother in this.

Keith is in the police academy when shiro went missing and uses his brother as motivation to train harder.

Basicly During a raid on one of the compounds the cult has within the city keith sees his brother and follows him getting dragged into the cult as well, but keith isnt just gonna be like "okay im accepting this, im a member of your cult now" 

He tries to get his brother to leave with him, but shiro feels indebted to allura and wont leave.

Keith returns to the precinct with the other officers and is conflicted, and the other officers basicly don't see the cult members as victims since that are openly supporting the cult.

\---I'm out of ideas for now... tbc---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont know anything about any of the legal and structial knowledge needed to flesh this out... I just thought, "what if voltron wasnt in space? they were just on earth, but they still couldn't go home?" and this was born.


	24. Long live the king (shadam) (hunay) (lance/plaxum) (pidge/acxa)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five dragons, five kingdoms, or so it was supposed to be...

There are five countries, for each country stood a dragon that watched over them.

The country of Galra had the black Dragon, The largest of them all.

The country of Altea had the red dragon, The fastest and hardest to tame.

The country of Olkari had the green dragon, The wisest of them all.

The country of Baku had the blue dragon, The most loyal and kindest of them all.

The country of Balmera had the yellow dragon, The most protective and nurturing.

Those five stood in harmony for thousands of years, til the country of Galra grew greedy and stuck down their neighbors of Altea and stol their land and their dragon.

The Red dragon in mourning for her country and king, fell into dormant slumber after banishing the black dragon.

The Galra kingdom held the red dragon, but since she slumbers cannot harness her strength. And their own black dragon gone from their kingdom, much to the rage of the galran king Zarkon.

So allura and coran were sent away by the red dragon as a last effort to save its charges.

\---many many many years later---

The three kingdoms of Baku, Balmera and Olkari are standing their own because of their dragons protection, but the galra are relentless.

Meanwhile under the nose of everyone a new kingdom rose up, it was Atlas! Cause thats where the black dragon went. Dragon = kingdom

Allura and Coran find the new kingdom of Atlas and plea for aid to recover the red dragon to finally end the galra.

Shiro is the king of Atlas.

Lance, Pidge and Hunk or the rulers of Baku, Olkari and Balmera respectively.

(they each got a love interest cause politics demand rulers have lovers. Shiro has Adam, Hunk has Shay, Lance has Plaxum, and pidge has Acxa)

The galra is currently divided, split between teh followers of Zarkon/Honerva and the followers of Keith.

Basicly we gotta find keith a partner so he can wake the red dragon and become the true ruler of galra.

But like thats only if allura and coran don succeed with their plan of just wiping the galra out.

It's all very complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, basicly someone gotta marry keith or the kingdoms fall into chaos


	25. Together we burst (klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We burn bright and travel far, but in the end we fall apart...

I got this idea cause my niece was watching the animated astro boy film and the only part of the movie i remembered is the star core stuff. So im gonna use that.

So A star fragment is hurtling through space, burning a bright purple when it happens to soar towards earth.

When it breaches the atmosphere it is torn apart, one fragment blue and the other red.

Of course people come and collect the fragments, and they take note of the properties of the fragments.

The blue seems more stable then the red, the blue is calm, while the red seems wild.

The fragments seems to become more unstable the closer they are to each other so they are separated, with the assumption bad things will happen when they are brought together.

Two androids are developed to test the fragments, L4NC3 for the blue core and K13T5 for the red core.

The android were to never meet and kept in separate facilities for monitoring.

The androids tho, unbeknownst by the scientists, held the fragments conscienceness'.

The fragments wanted to be together, the more stable of the fragments knew this very well, that it was incomplete.

The unstable red fragment tho, was forgetful, it did not know what it had lost or what it was missing, it just knew that it was missing something.

While the L4NC3 begged, the K13T5 lashed out.

Allura and shiro were the scientists in charge of K13T5.

Hunk and Pidge were the scientists in charge of L4NC3.

Endgame is them both breaking out of their facilities and finding each other, both desperate to be whole again.

When they finally come together (much chaos and panic from the scientists expecting mass distruction) It is less destructive and more just a pretty light show.

K13T5 and L4NC3 go back to being together and its all happy and gay (and i probably cried).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol, fireworks and kissing


	26. The care and keeping of your human child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampires aren't the best caretakers...

The alteans are super old vampires.

The galra are a clan of humans that hunt vampires.

Hunk, Lance, Pidge, Matt, and whoever else are all vampires of the Altean coven already.

Shiro an old vampire of the coven (not as old as the alteans who started the clan, but older then the hunk, lance, pidge and matt) Picks up a homeless orphan kid that is keith

And its basicly fluff fo vampires that adopt keith but dont fully understand how to raise a child.

They dont turn him cause they arent moralless, they are waiting til he comes of age.

Keith is like really stubborn about receiving help so he doesnt mention when he's hungry or cold or tired of stuff like that and we get scenes like

hunk saying "how often do humans need to eat...?" cause he notices keith hasnt really mentioned he was hungry in the first few days and they panic cause they realized they are kinda starving him.

Vampires being cold blooded and not realizing keith needs the mansion heated instead of just constantly cold, he just sneezing kitten sneezes cause he is cold and not saying anything about it til pidge comes out of her den like "the human is cold, humans arent supposed to be cold!" and someone going "OMG" and proceeding to wrap him in blankets

They taking keith out late at night and him just getting sluggish and tired and not saying anything til he passes out.

Eventually he opens up and the vampires get better at caring for their little human.

The galra are nice in this, they are only mean to vampires.

So whenever keith is out they are super kind to him thinking he is a lost child and eventually realizing he lives with vampires and continually try to "rescue" him

But like the rescue atempts are kinda comedic and light hearted cause the altean vampires dont kill anyone, they dont even kill hunters.(im laughing so hard cause i just imagined the team rocket thwarted scenes with sendak or zarkon or lotor and them just being like "I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME VAMPIRE SCUM" and then just ending up kicked outside the mansion and walking home to brood)

\---Basicly the whole fic is just that---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -insert comedy relief-


	27. It's just the cats meow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are just far less complicated when you have a tail.

So pre-BOM episode, probably during the space mall episode.

Instead of noticing the knife booth, keith notices a different shop first. He notices an alien offering free samples of something very similar to earth food that keith can't fight the temptation.

But like it wasn't food, it was a type of alien idk, but like it wasn't food.

He is feeling okay til they are on their way back from the space mall, like he is feeling lightheaded, like floaty.

And the other paladins don't notice til they get back to the bridge and notice him kinda dopey and wobbly.

Then poof he just faints and poofs into a fluff of earth feline.

Yeah he turns into a little black cat.

It's implied that his transformation is because of his galra blood but its very very subtle.

The whole premise of this is he turns into a cat with no way to comunicate with the team and since his instincts are so strong he starts acting like a cat.

His touchstarved self becomes like super cuddley and followed the paladins around. He is easily distracted by shiney things and moving things and smells.

All the while he is very confused and very much still keith in his head, since he acts so cat like the paladins assume he isn't completely "there"

Like bonus if the convienant language barrier goes both ways and keith can't understand the paladins anymore. like are the castles translators even made to sync with animals? probably not.

After a quick check up with coran the paladins learn that its temparary, that they will get him back in a week, but since there is a language barrier keith doesnt know this...

After the first few days keith gets lost in his instincts and kinda agrivated that he doesnt know how to turn back, towards the last day he kinda begins to accept he might stay a cat forever.

\---Some scene ideas---

pidge makes a robot with a laser light on it that keith chases around.

Keith sleeping on everyone's laps, enjoying the perks and attentions.

Keith shreds some of lance's clothes as revenge for his coddling that came off as teasing.

Keith sleeping with the paladins at night, just sneaking into their rooms and sleeping at the end of their bed or by their head on their pillow, or even straight up on top of them.

Hunk in the kitchen cooking and keith staring out of boredom and then just like knocking stuff off the counters much to hunks dismay.

Allura having to keep a close eye on the mice cause keith cant control his instincts well enough to not chase them.

Keith discovering pidge's secret. That she brought the caterpillars back with her from the trash space and keith just falling asleep with them in a cuddle puddle and pidge finding him.

Keith stealing lance's stuff and hiding it.(sometimes even hiding it in the vents where he never finds them)

Keith being a perfect little therapy cat for shiro's nightmares and hunks anxieties. Just agressively nuzzles and purrs at them.

Food goo is not good food for cats and keith pukes it up so they have to go back to the space mall for space cat food. (they learn this the first day when they are convienantly still close to the space mall)

Keith likes to meow when he is bored and wants attention, he also likes to meow to annoy lance.

Shiro training in the training deck with a practice droid and keith walking in getting all protective and trying to hiss the droid to submission and then trying to straight up attack it before shiro stops him and ends the training session.

When looking for space cat food they find space cat nip and keith turns into a puddle of fur and purr.

Keith succeeding in catching one of the space mice and just like carrying it by the scruff proudly when whoever was chasing him to save the mouse finally corners him. (the mouse has a tiny little heart attack and keith is just purring happily)

keith falling asleep in a crawl space and everyone panicking when they realize he is missing.

Keith never responding to his name cause his little cat head only hears english as mumbled giberish.

Keith being highly offended by loud or sudden noises.

Shiro gets shoulder cat time.

Keith stops teasing lance and cuddles with him.

lots of petting and ear scritches.

\----

Oh and when all is said and done the paladins knowing keith will probably turn back soon being the last day of his cat glory try to keep him from sleeping in any of their rooms. Since he has yet to sleep with lance, lance assumes he doesnt have to try very hard to keep keith out.

So keith being stubborn sneaks into lances room after his beauty routine is all done (so he has the eye mask on and noise canceling headset on) and lays on his pillow after he falls asleep.

Lance wakes up to a very naked and completely human keith whole is still asleep and still purring???

Keith wakes up to lance screaming and yells "WTF" and since keith doesnt imediately say otherwise everyone assumes keith doesnt remember his time as a cat.

Keith is too embarrassed to admit he remembers. And every once and a while he gets a cat like urge or makes a catlike noise only to immediately stiffen and leave the room.

\---the end---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Meow.
> 
> EDIT-The ships are a free for all in this one it can be pretty much Keith/anyone (EXCEPT CORAN, LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS YOU HEATHENS)(like not out of the fic but out of the ships... coran probably has the hots for someone pre-war... COUGHalforCOUGH)
> 
> EDIT-now im thinking about Coran/zarkan ships and i dont know how to feel about that... like on one hand? long distance pinning and conflicted feelings and angst and betrayal and all the good stuff... okay i cant see a bad side, im writing up some ideas now.


	28. It's all so unclear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a reason Shiro was so distant after his revival...

So, everyone knows shiro's memory is all over the place with alot of blanks, but what if the clone incident made it worse?

What if he forgot about all the bonding between himself and the paladins, especially keith.

So he knows them "objectively" but he doesnt have the deep conection he built over the course of their adventures, even going as far back as his earth memories of bonding with keith.

Because haggar didnt want the clone to get "distracted" but when shiro fused with the clone he fused with the clones conscienceness.

So he doesnt have that closeness anymore.

And that lack of closeness is why he doesnt trust the paladins enough to tell them about the holes in his memories, he doesnt trust them cause its like haggar getting into his head. He doesnt know if what he does know about them is real (that they are supposed to be close but they dont feel like it) like for all he knows the memories could be implanted.

\---just throwing that out there, take it as you will---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how mainstream media just ignores character development, dont you?


	29. It's too late (Shurtis) (Keith/OC)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did Shiro truely believe Keith could wait forever?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basicly in this one,
> 
> Shiro is bad at relationships and takes everything for granted,
> 
> Keith moves on and learns he can't wait for Shiro his whole life,
> 
> Random nameless alien dude takes no nonesense,
> 
> And Shiro learns a lesson.

Like have you noticed in canon just how distant Shiro became after Keith literally saved his life over and over and over again?

I'm not just talking about the later seasons, I mean right after Keith saves Shiro from the garason, if you consider how close they were pre-canon and compare it to during canon... Shiro literally made time for Keith, even as he had garrison work and adam and literally everything!

But during canon, you see keith off to the side or hanging with Lance, Lance who he argued and fought with, He hung out with Lance more in canon then he hung out with Shiro???

And in the later seasons, Shiro just becomes to busy to even spend that tiny bit of time he had with Keith??? Pre-canon he was busy too and "MADE" time, to get away and talk and race hoverbikes and all that stuff... you saying he couldnt even sit down for breaks or meals and talk with keith???

Thats what this one is about, yup! (im gonna binge voltron soon and come back and fix all the canon facts i got wrong... )

So basicly it starts at the end of voltron when Keith leaves to turn the blade into a humanitarian organization or whatever and Shiro had married "Curtis", (The fact that the team grew apart after voltron still bugs me btw) and everyone went their seperate ways.

Keith and Shiro have their goodbyes like they are some "aquaintances" instead of close friends with a long history and onesided pining. Just to be clear Shiro is well aware of Keiths affection for him, he is kinda a jerk in this, a huge jerk.

\-----

So on that, we split to two perspectives starting with Shiro, we go into detail about Shiros marriage with "Curtis" and how it is a political marriage. (but like "Curtis" has the hots for shiro and is trying to turn the marriage into something real, cause i said so, "Curtis" needs development damn it!)

So While in public or with friends they are the picture perfect couple, but behind closed doors they are distant, Shiro is cold and distant, Curtis is kinda sad and tries to close the gap without much help cause Shiro is a jerk, like i said.

They have arguements that bleed into the public view and they eventual decide to take a break. (I said break, not divorce)

\-----

And we cut to Keiths point of view.

I'm not saying keith is heartless for not caring about Shiro anymore, but like considering all the mixed simbols and times he is straight up disregarded by Shiro, Keith moved on.

He saw glimpses in his future from the quantum abyss and saw that him and shiro werent meant to be and from then he went through his own growth, the cloning facility was his denial and wish to change his fate and get shiro to care but when it didnt work he distanced his heart from Shiro and Shiro showed him that their frinedship didnt matter when he spread the distance farther.

So we move to Keith, who has somewhat moved on but still wishes he could have changed his fate with shiro.

But like their are other fish in the sea and im not talking about Axca!

He meets someone during his new blade work, during his travels across the universe. He meets a dude from one of the planets he was bringing aid to, an old bounty hunter who retired when the war got rough. (cause like a bounty hunter during the empires rule would be working for the empire, cause they rule most of the universe. So when the war made the empire unstable he got outta dodge, not that he is a good guy or a bad guy, he is in the grey)

so yeah, retired bounty hunter that is now just a nomad, they dont hit it off right away but they keep running into each other.

So this bounty hunter that I havent decided the name of yet... Let alone species...(maybe make him galra to make things easier) He falls for keith basicly and Keith like i said is still hanging on to shiro by a very thin thread is reluctant to consider dating.

But eventually he tries to use this stranger as a means to forget Shiro, the nomad guy knows he is being used after a while and says "nope, you cant use me, thats cruel" and they dont see each other for a while.

During which Keith reflects and realizes he kinda does have feelings for the retired bounty hunter and when he runs into him he apologises and tells him about his feelings.

\-----

And we move back to Shiro, who is kinda regretting being all mean to Curtis (no more quotations) cause Curtis was super nice and trying his best and Shiro misses the presence he created in the now empty house they used to share.

But that is a problem to deal with later cause shiro is a procrastinator who doesnt care enough to make time for his own husband...

The yearly meet up is almost here and Shiro has been avoiding it for the last few years (the jerk) and now that Curtis has made them take a break from each other he has time to go! (seriously Shiro, wtf)

The yearly meet up has him thinking of Keith, and the jerk that Shiro is thinks he can just walk back into Keiths life like he didnt destroy his heart and his feelings. (basicly he wants to cheat on Curtis cause Curtis is ignoring him)

So Shiro comes in acting all buddy buddy with everyone and no one seems to remember how distant and cold he was last time they were together... And so far it is Lance, Coran and Hunk. Pidge shows up shortly after shiro gives hellos to everyone and pretends to be sorry for not showing up the last few years, he gives his speal to pidge too and asks if Keith is gonna be there.

Coran tell them that Keith got held up and will be coming a bit late and basicly says not to worry about him and just gets everyone sat down.

Of course news of Shiros's marriage discord has reached the others and they ask about it, Shiro feigns sadness and all that saying that things are difficult when the whole universe is watching and something about having no privacy to work things out and says they are taking a break.

The paladins all accept it, cause even after the kuron incident they still just accept everything Shiro spouts as gospal...

Just before the conversation can continue Keith arrives and comes to sit down. (he comes alone, yus, the surprise partner is for later)

\-----

So we go back to Keith.

And he is very surprised Shiro is there, It has been sometime since he met his alien partner and said partner helped him completely move on from shiro, but Shiro doesnt know that.

So having moved on, Keith, While surprised by Shiro's friendliness, is happy to be kind in return. But not because of his old feelings, this time its in hopes to fix their friendship.

After the hugs and greeting and apologies for being late, every sits down and gets back to talking about how they have been. (In this fic, everyone fell out fo touch after voltron and only talk when they run into eachother or when they get together for their yearly meet up for Allura)

Pidge goes on about her projects and tech and how her life is going. Hunk talks about all the alien food and and planets he has eaten and been to. Lance talks about his garden and how his family is doing, how the next generation is growing up. and so on and so forth.

Keith meanwhile is waiting til the dinner is over to introduce his new partner, but that plan gets held off when Shiro asks Keith if they can talk alone and Keith agrees believing Shiro wants to rekindle their old friendship as well. 

But like...

When they go into closed room to talk Shiro gets handsy and tries to kiss keith. Shiro is out of shape from staying on earth... and Keith never stops training... So Keith easily throws Shiro off yelling "SHIRO WTF!?"

Shiro starts to rant about how Keith should just go along with it because Shiro knows Keith has always wanted that, and so on and so forth while Keith gets increasingly enraged by Shiro's betrayal.

Keith punches Shiro in the face and tells him that he's moved on and that he should go find another broken kid to grovel at his feet, cause thats not Keith anymore.

Meanwhile all the commotion has brought everyone to come investigate.

\-----

We switch to Shiro's pov now

Shiro is very much offended and confused at how much Keith has changed, cause the Keith in the past before his wedding would have done anything Shiro had asked.

The former paladins meanwhile have no idea whats going on, cause both Keith and Shiro are misheveled and Shiro has a nice bruise on his face forming, to them it looked like keith attacked Shiro, which that wouldnt have made sense cause they cant think of a reason why Keith would have done that.

There is a ton of yelling and questioning and the paladins even stop Keith from trying to leave.

Eventually Keith just yells for them to stop and shut up.

then it awkward...

\-----

Keith pov again

Oh and its in this perfect moment that Keiths partner shows up because keith told his partner to wait in another room to be brought back and introduced, and Keith never came when he said he would.

So everyone but Keith is like "WHO THE F*CK IS YOU" and the alien partner runs to Keith cause he realizes keith is not feeling so happy right now, he is overwhelmed and betrayed, so like this random alien runs up and hugs Keith and asks if hes okay and whats going on.

And Shiro loses it like "WHO ARE YOU TO TOUCH KEITH"

And the alien partner is like "IM HIS HUSBAND/MATE" 

And everything freezes before erupting into chaos.

Shiro is exposed for the jerk he is, Keith gets to kiss his alien husband, the former paladins are no longer confused and Coran just goes "I knew all along" and no one is sure if he really did or not.

\-----The end?-----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, i never forgave Shiro for what he did in Canon...  
> Yeah Shiro gave Keith a future, but Keith literaly gave and gave and gave and Shiro just took it all for granted and walked away???


	30. Voltron, at Hogwarts!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basicly Harry Potter, if Keith was Harry.
> 
> This is just me assigning roles til i can adapt the plot.

Keith = Harry  
Pidge = Harmione  
Lance = Ron (completely fits)  
Hunk = Nevile  
Shiro = Sirius  
Allura = Dumbledore  
Lotor = Draco  
Sendak = Lucius  
Haggar = Bellatrix (Edited)  
Krolia = Lily  
Keith's dad = James  
Kolivan = Snape  
Coran = Hagrid  
Zarkon = Voldemort (duh)  
Zethrid = Crab (i honestly dont remember the difference between crab and goyle)  
Ezor = Goyle (wow that doesnt fit at all, but whatever)  
Axca = Astoria (Edited)

 

I'll be back to this after i rewatch voltron... and maybe reread the Harry Potter books...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember Harry Potter better then i Remember Voltron at the moment...


	31. They are WHAT!?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So what would happen if everyone realized the paladins are only children?

So it simple goes like this.

literally everyone in the universe is against child soldiers or hurting kids in anyway possible, except zarkon, sendak, haggar.

So everything kinda follows canon til the space mall episode when the paladins are loose in the mall fooling around. Instead of escape on their cow ex machina, they get caught and brought to the mall like containment room where varkon immediately freaks out when he realizes they are just kids.

Meanwhile coran went and fetched shiro to get them out of custody and while shiro offhandly teases them about their age which backfires when keith mentions shiro is only six, which makes varkon freak even more.

After they leave the space mall, varkon shares his experiance with the space internet and someone finds out that those "kids" are the paladins and all hell breaks loose cause the news the paladins are kids becomes viral.

So basicly literally everyone helps the paladins out so that they dont get hurt and they even get treated as young children when they visit planets they rescue or gather supplies from. Even the alteans subtly give them easier missions as well.

There becomes major disruptions within like all of the empire and everyone is refusing to harm the paladins to the point the soldiers basicly overtrow the empire so the paladins dont have to face zarkon and haggar and sendak.

The paladins of course are very confused, but literally no one cares.

And in the end the war ends not because of voltron but because no one wanted the paladins to get hurt.

This seemed alot funnier in my head, but thats the gist of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This just popped into my head a few days ago and it just stuck as a extremely rediculous and hilarious even.
> 
> I basicly thought that if that even the galra treasured kids, they would basicly overthrow the empire when zarkon and haggar showed themselves a danger to kids.


	32. White blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the top of a hill, stands a tree of pure white flowers.
> 
> It seemed so lonely there, above the treeline, as it watched over its fellow trees.

Basicly Shiro is a guardian or god or spirit or something that watches over a massive forest from atop a tall mountain.

He is like bound to a flowering white tree, and can only materialize on that hill, even tho his influence stretches beyond the hill to the entire forest.

And basicly the whole fic is him adopting/guiding the paladins who are kids that get lost in the forest. It's kinda of fluffy kidfic with a seasoning sadness...

Keith finds him first, Keith was abandoned after his father died and he ran away into the forest to escape some sort of abuse, he is quiet and untrusting. Shiro, tho Keith doesnt know it, guides him to food and water and shelter for weeks before Keith finds the hill Shiro's tree is on.

It takes kid Keith awhile to trust him but soon Keith swears to pay back Shiro's kindness a thousands fold.

Next is Lance, Lance gets separated from his family somewhere on the edge of shiro's territory when he wanders in. Like with Keith, Shiro guides lance to food and water and shelter as well, but cant guide him to his family cause he cant see beyond his territory. Lance doesnt find Shiro directly, he runs into Keith who heard from shiro their was someone else in the forest besides him, and in his little childish mind he goes to seek Lance out to see if he is trustworthy enough to see Shiro or to have his help, or something along that line.

Keith and Lance squabble and Lance decides he gets to meet whoever Shiro is because Keith said he couldnt, that leads to Keith trying to argue more before Shiro gets tired of listening and leads them both to his tree, much to Keiths dismay.

Keith and Lance become like best friends after a while, they still argue and fight, but in a sibling kinda way.

Next is Hunk, Hunk is Lance's friend from outside the forest so when he heard lance vanished somewhere inside he reluctantly went looking, cause hunk is loyal like that even if he's kinda worried and a bit scared.

Unlike Keith who took a few days to draw up the courage to seek Lance out when he heard about someone entering the forest, Lance seeks the new person out immediately and is really happy to see hunk.

Unfortunately, hunk is now really lost and doesnt know the way back home, so its kinda sad...

Last to show up is Pidge, who of course heard about the forest where everyone goes missing/gets lost and assumes her missing brother and father must be there. In this fic tho... They are actually dead... Im so sorry... Pidge is just a tiny innocent child who cant accept death...

Shiro adopting Pidge is probably the sadest part cause while Hunk, Lance, and Keith are 10/11 years old, Pidge is like 6/7 and she is a tiny ball of denial and rage, which she immedialtey takes out on shiro.

She hears about Shiro from Lance and Hunk, and immediately assume Shiro is a monster that brainwashes or murders and devours anyone who enters and goes to confront shiro to get her brother and father back.

So when Pidge realizes Shiro doesnt have her family and that she is now trapped in the forest like Hunk, Lance, and Keith and screams and cries and tried to beat up shiros tree... and everyone is really heartbroken... Lance and hunk comfort her the best they can, but Keith is awkward and doesnt know how...

In the end, Shiro has adopted four forest children and they grow up in the woods...

Epilogue would consist of the now teenage kids finally leaving the forest together and saying goodbye to shiro, but dont worry they promise to come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont know where i was going with this... It kinda evolved on its own.


	33. The Return of Voltron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say with time all wounds will heal...
> 
> ...but then why do the scars still burn?

I've seen this role swap a few times, but since i'm picky i thought up my own!

Keith is swapped with allura, so altean keith and half galra allura!

I am gonna swap some of the canon galra and altean characters too. Alfor is Allura's human parent who raised her on earth before leaving her the shack in the desert when he died, Her mother is the galra blade that crash landed on earth before leaving again and leaving allura her blade!

Following that train of thought would make Allura be the cadet Shiro mentors instead of Keith, of course their dynamic would be different then when it was Keith and Shiro. Allura turns out much like she is in canon, if not a bit more untrusting due to her lonely back story now that was once Keith's!

So when Shiro and the crew vanish on kerberos, she like any sane person can see they were covering up something by not sharing the incident details and is kicked out of the garrison for digging to far and asking too many questions. Leading to her hearing blue's call and searching the dessert, after this it goes similar to canon, except with Allura in Keiths place.

Lance's jealousy towards Allura in this is because of her ignoring his terrible flirting while she was at the garrison, so when they run into each other at the quarentine tent lance doesnt spew a "rivalry" he makes comments about allura being here because she somehow cant escape Lance's charm, to which she scoffs...

Also when they find the blue lion Allura is the blue paladin in this, i'll explain later.

So we get to Shiro waking up and the alien and voltron business! (Shallura is super platonic cause platonic Shallura is my otp, like they are both supposed to be the adult/mature influences but they arent subtle about how immature they really are at all, its adorable)

Now we get to the castle where things divert from canon further!

Keith awakes crying "Krolia!" instead of father, cause krolia and alfor are swapped duh, and the advisor is altean Kolivan who is like keith's mentor/father figure, but he's super stoic so its subtle. Yeah this means Coran is leading the blade as a galra, thats a quirky change that will make sense later.

So Lance catches damsel Keith and keith quotes canon allura with "who are you, where am i" and lance goes "im lance, and youre right here in my arms" Keith then stares at his ears and also quotes canon allura cause thats one of the best lines in canon and i refuse to cut it "your ears... theyre hidious! Whats wrong with them!?" and then blah blah and keith floors lance and pins him to the ground demanded to know where queen krolia is. (btw Allura finds this both concerning and amusing, but she doesnt say anything)

Shiro takes charge and this scene goes similar to canon, except when kolivan comes out of the cryopod and immediately draws his sword scaring everyone before keith waves him to stand down. lol

Keith mine you is alot more vengeful and impulsive then allura, so i imagine when he finds out how much time has passed and the genicide of the alteans he is out for blood and willing to be much more violent? dangerous? cruel? (Like in canon Allura hides her feelings behind a kind of nobel righteousness, well keith doesnt, he is just really bloodthirsty) But when Shiro mentions he knows zarkon Keith turns all his hate in shiro's direction and the poor dude flinches... Kolivan places a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

Btw! Instead of space mice, Keith has Kosmo early! And he has the same psychic connection with kosmo as Allura had with the mice! Little kosmo puppy in the bottom of the cryo chamber just napping til his reveal, picture it.

Sudden galra proximity alarm! Keith reveals his connection to the lions as a way to find the lions for the new paladins and then everyone gets their lion assignments!

In this AU, Keith is not a paladin! Thats just how it is, live with it.

Lance, gets the red lion, Allura the blue lion and Shiro the black lion. Obliviously, Hunk the yellow lion and Pidge the green lion.

Everyone goes off to get their lions, while Lance stays behind cause of course the galra have the red lion... that basicly goes exactly like canon. (except Lance is bitter about Keith pinning him so he tries to piss Keith off the whole time the others are gone)

Imagine Kolivan doing Corans lines cold and heartless like "the wormhole can not stay open for long, you must retrieve your lion and return before it closes. We will not retrieve you if you fail." (he still has the knowledge or death mindset lol)

They get back to a very frustrated and angry Keith who has located the red lion on a galra ship and is really pissed about it, its his mothers lion after all. Kolivan takes charge with the talking bits cause Keith failed his diplomacy lessons... He is currently a barely contained fuse at the moment with everything that has happened since he woke up, you know the whole galra rule everything, voltron has completely new paladins and he misses the old paladins and is really angry about Zarkons betrayal, Oh yeah and him and kolivan are the last living alteans that they know of, he hasnt had any time to absorb and cope with this knowledge but thats fine i guess. shrug.

Enter Sendak with his message of "surrender voltron or parish"

The new paladins argue about whether they should fight or flee and Keith loses patience and explodes saying they are staying and fighting the galra, but he is like really pushy and angry about it cause he finally has a way to fight back and they arent even in sync. But like the paladins are super uncomfortable about how keith is trying to force them to chose.

(Like in canon when allura is getting stuck in cryo isnt it kinda implied that she had no say in the war? it kinda seemed she wasnt even allowed to fight, not even because her life force being connected to the lions, more so Alfor being an overprotective father. Lets just assume thats how it was for Keith, Krolia wanted to protect him cause he was still young and she didnt want him throwing his life away)

Anyway, kolivan steps in with another shoulder touch, but this time Keith refuses to calm down and he says "perhaps you should have a word with queen krolia" and keith snaps out of it so fast he gets whiplash.

Altean Krolia in the memory core!!!

Keith is of course hurt and angry at first about her basicly abandoning him and their people by sending the lions away and all that but eventually he is just sad... then Krolia explains to Keith he has to have patience and not become corrupted by his rage and blah blah blah.

Keith returns without his fancy dress clothes and with super fancy altean armour!

He apologises and motivates them into standing up to the galra. Then they get their armour and bayards!

Allura "you know how you teased me about feeling that energy back on earth?"   
Lance "Yeah?"   
Allura "well you gotta do that, good luck"   
Lance "Wait what"

They do the plan where instead of lance and hunk, its hunk and allura!

Lance pulls out some fake bravado when Shiro tells him they are gonna split up, but damn is lance super nervous and insecure about going alone... Everything goes fine tho! Red lets him in without having to prove himself too much! (cause Lance cant open the airlock... he doesnt have galra blood, why does everyone thing the balmera was the first galra sign??? the airlock is galra tech!)

Back at the castle when the particle barrier failed and they gotta align the crystals little mini Cosmo wants to help so he teleports in cause i said so! This is when Keith discovers the telepathic connection with him and Kosmo!

They get the prisoners, get them to the escape pods and discover Shiros arm power. They all get back to the castle cause in this time allura and hunk destroyed the ion cannon, and they return to awaken the black lion.

They panic abit, fight some more, get stuck in the tractor beam and form voltron!

\-----I see alot of role swaps either speed through canon or divert entirely, but i wanted something that while it diverted from canon slightly it didnt speed through and also i wanted Keith to be an altean prince while still being keith (albiet barely coping with the major trauma of what happened to altea that canon overlooks)-----  
\---TBC---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I havent decided what ship this will follow yet...
> 
> But like,
> 
> -The reverse galra allura and racist keith drama that will come!
> 
> -Coran being likable enough to even out the blow of Keith being overly bloodthirsty where Allura was cold and untrusting in canon.
> 
> -Kosmo is a good boy.
> 
> -Allura having keith's ability to feel energies, but Keith having alluras ability to do that canon alchemy magic stuff!


	34. When it breaks (klance?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing can prepare you for the aftermath...
> 
> Tags-  
> Hinted Keith/Lance, Major Character Death, Buried in Rubble, Mental Instability, Keith is Traumatized, Hallucinations, Angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing this on my phone so thank my phone for the fact there are less spelling errors.

This can be told from either lance or Keith but it's basicly the same.

After the paladin swap and Keith joining the blade, there is a co-op mission with Voltron and marmora, in which lance and Keith team up.

Each paladin while paired with a blade to help access galra tech easier has split up within a massive under ground network of tunnels on a galra abandoned planet.

So lance and Keith are paired up cause I said so.

Keith of course trying to be the professional blade persona is acting all business and stoic role.

While lance is kinda bored and sees little point in wandering around in a bunch of abandoned caves so he is whining and trying to make jokes and get Keith to fool around.

They aren't really paying attention to the comms so they don't notice at first when the comms go quiet. But at some point one of them calls in to report they found nothing and their end is clear, when they don't get an answer.

They decide to turn back after some bickering about whether there is something wrong or if it's just the dense cave walls.

They get lost though...

And at some point they activate a trap by accident, one of them realizes the trap is a bomb and goes to push the other out of the way. (This is the point where it can be either or, I'm just gonna choose Keith to make it easier to follow)

Lance had pushed Keith out of the way just before the detonation, which causes the cave tunnel to collapse.

Keith was knocked out in the blast and when he wakes he is trapped under debris in a way that doesn't kill him, but also doesn't let him move.

By the dim light of his suit he can see Lance pinned barely a meter in front of him, but he can't see him clearly.

At this point the comms start making static noises but nothing is coming through, even with Keith calling into the comms for help and trying to wake lance.

Time kinda starts to move slowly while Keith is pinned, he hasn't given up calling to lance, but lance aslo hasn't responded.

It takes awhile for Keith to realise lance is dead, he's in a weird place between denial and full on panic.

(This is what I meant by either or, choice one is Lance pushing Keith out of the way leaving Keith trapped and lance dead or Keith pushing lance out of the way leaving lance trapped and Keith dead)

(I chose Keith because the implications mean Keith has to take Lance's place as the red paladin when he is gone, while at the same time being traumatize by being trapped with his dead body)

It takes Voltron nearly four days to find Keith and lance.

In that time Keith had basicly lost his mind being trapped with Lance's body and begins to hear his voice whispering to him, sometimes good, sometimes bad things.

He is vacant eyed when they retrieve Keith and realize lance died, Keith doesn't say a word to anyone. Only murmurs quietly to the voices whispering to him, but no one can make out what he is saying.

Seeing as Keith is the only other person able to fly the red Lion he is brought back to the castle and healed up.(physically at least)

After the first few days everyone begins to notice Keith isn't quite bouncing back as they hoped/expected he would.

No matter what anyone tries Keith doesn't acknowledge their words or even react to their presence.

Keith meanwhile is stuck in his head listening to Lance's voice coming from everywhere, whenever on of the paladins or alteans speak instead of hearing their words he hears Lance.

He has nightmares of the cave in, in which lance survives the explosion only to die painfully out of reach while begging for help or blaming Keith in his dying breaths.

Keith begins to see shadows of Lance in his peripheral vision, either fearing to see and fleeing or chasing shadows just to see Lance alive.

It devolves to the point one night that Keith believes lance is alive and the cave in was just a horrible nightmare.

Running through the halls calling for lance and scouring the castle to find him.

Shiro finds him then and just holds him while he breaks down crying and asking where lance has gone and that he needs to find him.

\---tbc? That's honestly all I got right now----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read a story here before,
> 
> Can't remember the title.
> 
> But one of the paladins,
> 
> I think Keith.
> 
> Was in a cave in due to a bombing on an alien planet,
> 
> And they woke to a body decomposing not to far away,
> 
> So I thought to myself,
> 
> How can I make this more heartbreaking?
> 
> And this was born.


	35. And they're now at your feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the beginning there was the Earth and the spirits that nurtured it, 
> 
> then came mortals young and frail,
> 
> The spirits saw these mortals as the children of the Earth, 
> 
> just the same as the trees and the beasts,
> 
> The spirits vowed to nurture all of them.
> 
> Tags-  
> Demigod Keith, Evil God Haggar, Galran Gods, Altean Are Powerful Spirits of The Land, Humans are Humans, The Alteans are All Gone, The Galra Rule The Earth, Human Worship the Galra To Survive, They Give Sacrifices as Offerings, Shiro Was Taken as a Sacrifice, Keith Wants Him Back

The galra are gods,

The humans are mortals,

The alteans are spirits,

In the beginning the Earth was rules by the spirits that were the alteans. The spirits were benevolent and guided humans to peace and the land to prosperity.

Although, while the spirits held great power they weren't immortal like the Gods, they would die if the land they protected died.

So the galra seeking to rule over the humans poisoned the land weakening the spirits.

And over time the spirits were all silenced.

The humans turned to the galra for guidance when they believed their spirits abandoned them and the memory of the spirits worship was forgotten by the short lived mortals.

Unlike the spirits, the gods demanded offerings and sacrifices, only providing blessings and guidances to those willing to give.

The Garrison was a small strict village, they're entire lifehood relied on the goddess Honerva's blessings, and sent regular offerings and sacrifices.

The lands around the Garrison was a barren dessert where no water could be found and no food could be grown, but within, with the help of the goddess they had deep crystal clean Wells of water and prosperous farms of rich soil.

So none could complain about the offerings, none could complain of the sacrifices.

The last sacrificial offering was of the father of the holt family, followed shortly by his first born son.

This season the only son of the shirogane family was chosen, sent alone to make the pilgrimage to the alter.

Basicly shiro has to leave the village and walk through the desert all the way to haggar's shrine, he is given a talisman by the village leader that acts as a compass.

So basicly he gets there and honerva is actually an evil Goddess, haggar, turns out she isn't the one who has been blessing the Garrison and now she has shiro!

Meanwhile, Keith, who being half galra means he is a demigod, is the one who was watching over the Garrison because it was the village his father helped found.

And like that means Keith is like hundreds years old, but let's ignore that.

Keith has been living out in the desert not far from the Garrison, somewhere not easily found by accident.

Every few years or decades Keith has stopped by the Garrison to renew their blessing or see if they need anything, so when he stops by again and sees shiro isn't there anymore he asks where he went.

And he absolutely flips at Iverson because he sent shiro to an evil Goddess believing that goddess was the one helping them.

Of course, Iverson doesn't believe Keith when he says he is the one who has been blessing the village and not honerva. (I mean, Keith... you look like a desert hermit of a kid...)

Keith kinda might have cursed Iverson at the blatant offence, but that's not important.

Keith leaves the village in a rage and Pidge, lance and hunk who were being nosey follow. They didn't over hear that he was a demigod or anything, but they did hear he was going to get shiro back and they also want to for their own reasons.

Keith obviously knows he is being followed and he can't exactly let a bunch of mortals follow him into the gods realm when he goes to confront haggar.

So he leads them into a cave, with the intention of ditching them.

But then hesitates when he notices the spirit markings on the cave walls, that gives the Garrison trio time to confront him and ask about what he knows.

Hunk is the one nervous about crossing the goddess, cause he believes she will destroy the village.

Lance wants to know who Keith is and how he knows shiro.

Pidge wants to know about her family obviously, since no one from the village knows where the sacrificial offerings go cause they never come back.

Keith meanwhile is distracted by the spirit writing, his father told him about what his mother knew of what happened to the spirits and there has been no signs of them for millennia.

So Keith ignores them and goes further into the cave, the others following behind it of curiosity.

What they find is a hidden underground spring of water, which surprises them all.

Lance "h-how!? I thought their was no water outside the Garrison!!!"

The Garrison is a pretty secluded and self sustained village, most of the villagers don't know what's outside.

The stories of the time before it's foundation are murky and most stories of anything beyond the desert are lost.

Since the spirits vanished the Earth became barren, the only way to survive was through the gods will, give offerings and the gods bless the land.

Mortals have known no other way for millennia.

So to see pure water away from a gods blessing is a surprise indeed.

After some investigating they discover that it's not a blessing that created the spring, but instead the lingering presence of spirits.

Well Keith finds this out, the trio have never heard of spirits, Keith doesn't tell them.

While poking around lance opens a portal. Cause of course he does.

They all get dragged in and spit out the other side.

Which is a florishing forest, where coran and allura are slumbering.

They wake up, curse the gods and stuff, fail to realize Keith is a demigod, just the usual.

There is no voltron or lions in this fic. And they don't get to rescue shiro yet, sorry.

\----TBC will return to this one---


	36. All I can see are sharks and waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the water rose around me,  
> I could hear the angel's song become the devil's verse,  
> I knew then I was doomed...
> 
> Tags-  
> Major Character Death, Major Character Injury, Amputation, Dehydration, Drowning,Torture, Blood and Gore, Cannibalism, Dark Shiro, Dark Lance, Dark Pidge, Dark Matt, Dark Hunk, Hurt Keith, Traumatized Keith

So instead of mer, everyone is sirens. The darker kind that have don't understand the harm they can and do inflict and see humans as food.

And Keith is the only human. Probably not though...

Sirens don't exactly stay in pods or schools, they can and will gather together in certain waters, but they don't have the bonds to stans together and protect others besides their own scales.

Some exposition!

Shiro is the oldest and largest of the sirens, he is scarred up and aggressive because of his time in captivity. The others go to him about anything human cause he has been the closest to humans above water.(humans that they weren't drowning or eating)

Think of his aggression the same way an abused animal tends to lash out when anyone moves too fast or gets too close. He is wary but not pointlessly violent.

Pidge can always be found by Matt. But as I said earlier sirens don't hold permanent bonds, even with family, family groups stick together till the kids can fend alone and the kids usually travel together til they are matured. Pidge is still young even though Matt is near grown.

Pidge is most dangerous because of her curiosity, she likes to play with her food.

Matt is dangerous because of his excitability, like I mentioned earlier, sirens don't understand the harm they can and do inflict.

Lance is similar to Matt in his excitability, he also likes to show off to female sirens with his hunting, so he tends to be extra brutal.(Matt won't show off to find a mate til pidge is grown)

Hunk is wary, but not in the same way shiro is, shiro will lash out where hunk will back down. Hunk witnessed alot of hardship after splitting with his temporary family unit because he was a single child and was left to fend alone instead of with his siblings, so he is cautious.

(pidge has her brother and lance had a large amount of siblings. Shiro tho, was like hunk, but he wasn't wary enough at the beginning to escape capture)

Keith is an orphan searching for his parents. He chose to apprentice aboard a trading ship to be able to search far and wide.

End of exposition!

It starts after Shiro is freed from a illegal lab by ulaz, he travels to a stretch of islands out at sea, that many sirens have temporarily settled. (Those sirens being Matt, Pidge, Lance and Hunk)

The others go to investigate Shiro out of curiosity because of how scarred he is and how worn he is, honestly they probably considered his as possible food...(siren are cannibals, yes)

Shiro is of course aggressive and proves that he isn't dying any time soon by fending off Lance and Matt's excited prodding. (Pidge and hunk are merely circling, waiting for an opening)

After a temporary truce is made they all settle in the waters around the tiny islands.

And I really mean tiny, the largest of the islands is like as small as a one car garage.(that's important for the plot later)

After some curious questions from the other sirens, they learn shiro got his scars from humans.

But in a siren mindset it isn't seen as abuse or wrong to harm another in such a way, because in their culture they eat food that looks very closely like them and sometimes even eat others of their kinds. It is seen as normal to harm what you caught, cause you earned that right by catching it yourself.

They see the harm shiro speaks of as just how humans play with their food.(this is gonna get really dark soon)

After hearing shiros story, they all become curious about humans and this leads to the next part of the story.

The ship Keith is working on passes not too far from the siren's islands due to a lapse in navigation, and the sirens use this opportunity to learn about humans in their own way.

The siren songs have the humans throwing themselves off the ship side while the captain struggles to fight the ship away.

Basicly Keith ends up one of the many people knocked off and the captain turns tail and runs.

The sirens decide they don't really need more then one human so they start drowning them.

Keith, meanwhile, like all the other men was shocked out of hypnosis when he hit the water is and now racing to the small land masses in the distance while men left and right are disappearing under the dark waters.

He is making headway too, till Lance gets him by the ankle with his claws and he is suddenly underwater. Keith though has his dagger on him always and takes a swipe at Lance's arm surprising him enough to get free and swim for the land.

That action kinda backfires when it spikes Lance's curiosity, the siren's expected the humans to not fight beyond their usual death throes and thrashes and panic.

Lance decides that Keith is the human he wants to keep knocks the air out of him with a tackle and tears him in the shoulder with his teeth as he drags him to one of the smaller islands, barely the size of a twin mattress.

That assault kinda knocked Keith unconscious cause he was dragged half underwater and couldn't breathe, but lance didn't care much as he flops Keith on the rock like a cat proud of it's catch.

The others had 'accidently' killed all the other humans, so in the end they have no other choice then to settle for half drowned Keith.

The sirens are satisfied enough with the dead humans to ignore Keith on the rocks, luck for Keith.

Keith wakes alone with water in every direction and a deep gash across his shoulder. He first makes sure he has his mother's knife, which he does somehow, before making a bandage out of his shirt.

By the time Keith realizes he is on a rock in the middle of the ocean, without any supplies, there being no fresh water, no vegitation and no boats, he is on the verge of panicking.

Pidge choses this time to be creepy and pop only her eyes out of the water and watch Keith.

Siren eyes are solid glassy silver and they look really creepy reflecting like red.

Keith is rightfully terrified, cause he remembers what happened to the other men, he saw glimpses of them being torn apart while drowning.

Pidge just kinda stares for hours humming quietly, and Keith just has to deal with it cause he can't run or hide.

Siren can't talk above water, their vocals aren't made to work above water they dry out real fast and don't make the right sounds, besides they don't speak English anyway.

That's why their songs are so erie, they carry through the water to above and they are in turned warped and sound very different when heard underwater. Above water they sound ethereal, but under they sound wicked and alive.

It isn't just pidge for long, Matt wasn't there cause he and lance were fighting, lance caught Keith so technically they need his permission to touch Keith, normal siren etiquette.

So when Matt finally surfaces it's beside Pidge, to watch as lance circles the rock.(shiro could probably win dominance if he wanted but he isn't that invested in this, neither is hunk, they are fine watching)

Lance isn't stupid he isn't gonna get sliced twice by the same knife

Keith of course has his knife since the threat multipled.

The first few days are boring, since Keith isn't backing down.

Note siren can go about a week without food normally before going out to hunt again, Keith on the other hand being human...(you see where this is going)

The fic will mostly be the torture and abuse of poor Keith.

Where they offer him food in the form of bloated waterlogged human meat, waking all hours of the night to nearly being dragged into the water.

Being outright tortured because they believe the torture shiro talked about was a human custom.

Keith getting his face cut up cause one of the siren wanna see his teeth and mouth.

One of the siren getting hungry and thinking it fine to just take one of Keith's limbs.

Keith getting weaker and weaker and sicker, over time from the endless abuse.

Even Keith trying to escape when the siren go for their hunt and getting caught.

There is no happy ending, Keith just dies at the end and they eat him.

This is pure suffering with no escape or closure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just ignore that little fact that Keith would probably die from dehydration in the first three days...
> 
> Maybe one of Keith's missing parents is part siren so he can survive on salt water and ignore logic.


	37. And then we were legends...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is gonna tell your story when you are gone?
> 
> Tags-  
> Sacrifice to Save The Multiverse, Canon Divergence, Time Skip, Transported to The Distant Future, Ten Thousand Years In The Future, New Voltron Lion Religion, New Galra/Altean Government, Temples, Separated, Misunderstandings, Confusion

They beat zarkon and lotor and honerva... But instead of just sacrificing allura, they sacrifice all the paladins.

Shiro and Matt and krolia and coran and kolivan and romelle. The Garrison and the coilition and the blade. They all survive and carry on the aftermath, while mourning the paladins.

The lions go into a dormant slumber, none of the efforts made by the coilition or Garrison or anyone can wake them, they accept no one, not even Shiro can wake the black lion.

Over time the Garrison merges with the coilition.(the humans basicly becoming the head of the coilition in voltrons absence)

The blade gathers the stray galran forces and merges with them, they make a new alliance with the remaining alteans, eventually becoming a single race. (Over time the galran and altean bloodline is so mixed they just become a new race, they look kinda like lotor, with face markings and fluffy ears, they lose their ability to shapeshift anything besides their eyes)

The galran/altean race with their combined force of power and diplomacy, fill in the gaps the galra empire left behind and find a peaceful way to rule and maintain the universe.

The coilition evolved and merges into that new kingdom, becoming enforcers to keep an eye on the powers to keep them for becoming corrupt.

The lions are moved to extravagant temples built to honor the paladins and Voltron, over time each shrine grows a following, wear the temperaments and qualities of the lions are nurtured in the aliens that pray to the lions. 

Basically they teach anyone who joins the following the qualities of the lion temple they join, at first it was to try and raise new paladins in hopes to awaken the lions, but it soon became a religion.

And as the dust settles the new era begins.

\-----Ten thousand later-----

Voltron is again just a legend and fairytale, the oppression and ensuing war a forgotten hardship and trial, the paladins a myth.

This is when the lions wake up.

Not completely, only their presence wakes, and with it the paladins materialize in their dark cockpits disoriented and confused.

As if they were in battle only for it to pause and unpause and there is silence.

The lions are dark, but the paladins can feel their presences, they can't use their comms or controls.

So they each leave their cockpits and find themselves in the unfamiliar temple halls that house their lions.

Each lion temple was built on a separate planet, far away from each other.

Keith walks out of the lion and is spotted climbing out of the emergency exit in the head of the lion scaling the lion. He is arrested for the offence of touching the sacred lion and also trespassing in the sacred hall... Much to his confusiong.

Lance makes it out of his lion and approaches the first alien he sees and asks where he is, they detain him, and when he spouts off about being a paladin, they don't believe him and think he is a crazy follower.

Allura is spotted descending blue and is almost detained, when the aliens realize she is a pure blooded altean, something that hasn't existed in almost ten thousand years, they start worshiping her.

Pidge gets down from green and sneaks around the shrine looking for answers, instead of you know, asking some random unknown alien and hoping they aren't hostile, she assumes she is in an alternate universe.

Hunk, stumbles out of yellow and is helped by a follower assuming he wanted to see the lion up close, the alien tells him he won't tell anyone and hunk befriends them to get his exposition.

Basically they have to cope with the new era, find away to wake the lions, find each other and figure out what's going on.

That's true whole idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God...
> 
> I had to write this out four times, i kept pushing delete by accident!!!


	38. Wild hearts (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although you are deaf to the moons song, I can see her light in your eyes.
> 
> Tags-  
> Shiro/Keith, Werewolves, Werewolf Keith, Immune Shiro, Hunter Allura, Antagonist Allura, Werewolf Hunters, Wildlife Rehabilitation Facilities, Volunteer Shiro, Grumpy Wolf Keith, Shiro has PTSD, Exposure Therapy, Protective Keith, Misunderstandings

Okay so, werewolf AU

Allura is a hunter who has a vendetta against all werewolves after Alfor lost his life hunting the galra pack. She is hunting stray wolves in hopes of finding where the galra pack went.

Coran is Allura's gaurdian and supplier for werewolf hunting stuff.

Shiro is a sympathetic party, he was mauled by wolves but was the rare 1% to not turn. He didn't know they were werewolves cause werewolves look like regular wolves. 

Shiro decided not to blame all wolves for his experience and joined a wildlife rescue center to heal his trama and learn to not fear wolves anymore.

Lance, Hunk and Pidge all work at the wildlife center. 

Pidge works with rehabilitating the birds mostly, but she has experience enough to help with the other animals as well.

Hunk works with the smaller animals due to his nervousness around the larger ones, he will help if he can but prefers to help the little ones.

Lance works with the larger animals, including a wild bison named kaltenecker. He meets most large animals that come through for care and has the most experience with them.

The wildlife center is of course named Voltron, and has no idea werewolves exist at all.

Then you got Keith, a half werewolf born of the marmora pack, he is more of a lone wolf often leaving the pack for long periods of time, but he always returns.

During one of his lone excursions in wolf form, he encounters allura who is hunting, and he takes a silver bullet to the shoulder and a graze to the face before falling over a ravine.

The silver bullet works as a poison and prevents him from shifting back to remove the bullet himself so he has to escape in wolf form.

Allura is of course tracking him at her own pace, Keith is steadily losing strength.

Tho since Keith is so focused on escaping he isn't trying to hide as much and some humans spot him and call the wildlife rescue when they notice his injury.

So by the time Keith passes out, lance and hunk are there to secure him and transport him to he center, allura witnesses this.

Note, werewolves in this AU are no different then normal wolves when they shift, their mind is still human, but their body can easily fool a professional animal Care vet.

So when Keith comes in passed out they patch him up and put him in an enclosure.

He is the only wolf currently in the facility and he is under Lance's care.

Shiro will come into play later in his attempt to get over his fear of wolves, but for now lance is in charge.

When Keith wakes up he is groggy from the seditive they gave him for surgery and has no idea where he is, he in turn acts aggressively towards lance.

Keith doesn't really warm up to lance but he does realize he is in a wildlife rescue center, with the bullet removed he can shift when everyone is gone and leave.

That plan quickly becomes impossible when he spots allura, the hunter who shot him, joining the staff.

Allura decided to infiltrate the center after coran helped her locate the logo on the trucks that took Keith, she plans to finish the job when she is given the opening.

Keith realizing if he exposes himself he will be killed decides he has to hide his time.

Enter shiro, who smells like galra wolf, which is close enough to the scent of marmora that Keith doesn't immediately act aggressive towards him when he causiously approaches to scope out the only wolf.

Keith thinks shiro is a werewolf and shiro is totally not, the scent is a side effect of being bitten by a werewolf, since he didn't turn into a werewolf he became a carrier of the werewolf virus and thus smells like one.

Shiro doesn't know this.

When the staff realize Keith is docile towards shiro they assign him to care for Keith, which he is really reluctant to accept.

Keith and Shiro bond, allura becomes suspicious of Shiro when she hears he was mauled by wolves and also when she notices Keith warmed up to shiro and Keith growls at her when she is near Shiro.

Allura starts to think Shiro is a werewolf.

Keith thinks shiro won't talk to him cause he is trying to blend in with humans and because Shiro is suspicious of Allura.

Shiro kinda is suspicious of Allura, but not cause he knows she is a hunter, but because of her strong dislike for wolves and he over heard her talking about shooting wolves when she called coran.

Time passes and Shiro spends alot of time with Keith and while he is still afraid of wolves he isn't afraid of Keith, because Shiro stays with Keith so often allura can't sneak time to kill him.

It all hit the fan when Shiro ends up having a late night and is alone at the facility, he is in Keith's enclosure with the last meal for the night and allura decided it is the perfect time to strike.

She decided Shiro was a werewolf too.

Keith notices Allura before Shiro and Rams her as she comes into the enclosure so she misses her aim for shiro and shots the wall.

Shiro is of course alarmed and has no idea what this is about, and becomes even more alarmed and confused when allura spouts about werewolves.

Keith of course is in front of Shiro protecting him, like the wolf shield he is.

One thing leads to another and Keith shifts into a human and starts fighting Allura in hand to hand.

Shiro of course protects Keith when Allura gets the upper hand and tries to go in for the kill.

Allura is temporarily subdued and Shiro grabs Keith's hands and drags him out of the wildlife rescue center away from allura.

Keith wondering why Shiro is running in human form which is slower then wolf form and tells him they need to shift.

Shiro of course takes this moment to tell Keith he can't shift he isn't a werewolf, and Keith short circuits.

Keith tells Shiro, Allura won't stop hunting him down now she believes he is a wolf, so they decide to run away together.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kinda derailed and Allura became the antagonist...oops...
> 
> This could probably be told from Keith, Allura or Shiros POV


	39. Misplaced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Racism, Galra Keith, Anti-galra Rebel Factions, Kidnappings, Torture, Mentions of Suicide

So this is after they find clone Shiro and Keith separates himself from voltron.

Voltron has been pretty ignorante about the coilition's mistrust and down right hostility towards the blade.

To the point they overlook many incidents that occur right in front of them.

Keith happens to be around alot when the blade works with the paladins, but he is always wearing his mask cause he doesn't wanna face them.

So Keith witnesses first hand the other aliens options towards the blade.

It begins to escalate when blade members start disappearing.

Kolivan does not bring this to the paladi s attention cause that's just how he is, he want to face the issue within the blade without outside assistance.

Keith is in a unique placement of being a member of the blade but not treated with the same respect as the other blades.

Basicly they don't tell him what's going on or take him to meetings beyond briefings and they don't listen to his options during plannings.

He doesn't know that the blades that are disappearing aren't lost like many others are during missions, they were taken on ruote back to base.

Turns out someone from the coilition is responsible for it.

Keith finds that out when he is captured on his way back from an infiltration mission, the blades with him are not hesitant to do everything they can to not be taken alive.

Keith of course is not, so while the others escape or kill themselves for their mission he is caught off guard.

Since the blades are quick to die for their mission Keith is one of three that were caught alive and they aren't taking any chances.

The other two took their own lives behind their captures backs.

Basicly they try and torture Keith for information about the blade.

The aliens believe the blade is tricking Voltron and using their trust to give the empire information about the coilition's plans and bases.

Cause during the war the empire has been very good at out witting Voltron and the coilition, being one step ahead.

So they blame the galra allies of course and not... You know... The Shiro clone...

At some point, the base Keith is getting tortured on is attacked.

But it is not Voltron to the rescue.

It is the empire and they find Keith all injured and tied up in an interrogation room.

So they take Keith as their prisoner.

His blade clothes were replaces by prisoner clothes and his blade disposed of so the empire don't know he is a blade.

And since Voltron is out and about wrecking mayhem they don't know he piloted any lions.

So Keith is in the company of the druids after he is found to have galra DNA and is given a painful makeover.

Lotor learns of the half-breed that the rebel's coilition was torturing and recruits Keith.

At this point Keith has given up hoping Voltron will find him, knowing the blade doesn't retrieve prisoners unless they are important like slav.

At this point I run out of ideas, I didn't really have a plan for after him getting recruited by lotor or what motives would play out.

Might come back to this idea later.


	40. Tick tock (Kallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the next charge went off the paladins realized the time between blasts was decreasing... They were running out of time
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith/Allura, Missions Gone Wrong, Hostage Situations, Keith is The Hostage, Bombs, Alien Rebel Faction, Clone Shiro, Racing Against The Clock, Claustrophobia

Basicly I had the idea for a really messed up hostage exchange.

The aliens kidnap Keith during a diplomatic meeting planet side.

They are a rebel faction of the race that is hosting the coilition and are against having the blade part of the coilition.

Keith happens to be the easy target, cause I don't think anyone can over power antok or kolivan...

They lock him in a cramped black tube attached to a computer that controls the charges around the tube.

But they were clever, they made several of these structures all around the city.

So no one notices anything is amiss til the first bomb explodes on the other side of the city, but still within hearing distance of the meeting hall.

The first bomb was the signal for the rebels to take the stage and make themselves known.

They reveal that their are more then twenty bombs in the capital, each with enough charge to destroy not only the buildings they are in, but to damage the ones around them.

They spew on about how untrustworthy the galra are and how Voltron must be traitors for siding with galra.

Voltron meanwhile with the blade and some others are fighting the rebels to get to the stage.

They freeze though when the rebels mention their hostage.

That's when they notice Keith is gone.

Keith meanwhile woke up when the first bomb went off, he heard only distant rumbles though so he didn't know it was a bomb.

When they mention the hostage tho a second bomb goes of closer to Keith, he hears that one and is startled.

Though he can't do much as he is in a claustrophobic tube that is pitch black inside, to make matters worse his ankles and wrists are bound.

Back at the meeting hall the alien rebels make their demands.

They want kolivans head.

This of course goes as well as expected.

The other coilition members are divided, some value the blades help others are just as suspicious of the blade for being galra.

The aliens then mention their hostage is strapped to one of the charges and the bombs will go off in a random order, meaning the longer you take the more danger the hostage is in.

They subdue the rest of the rebels in the meeting hall and find out the rebel with the remote to disarm the charges isn't even in the building.

The rebels have planted cameras to monitor the hall and will only disarm the bombs when kolivan is dead.

So everything is a mess til Shiro and Allura and kolivan take control.

Shiro is of course a clone and is concerned about only stopping the bombs to save the city and the coilition.

Kolivan doesn't do hostage situations and is for evacuating the city and letting the bombs go off if they can't be disarmed.

Allura the only sane one gets pidge to start by tracing the cameras signals to find where they are broadcasting to to find the alien with the disarming remote.

The other paladins take her lead, while Keith sits in a dark tube panicking alone with no idea what's happening.

It takes them nearly three hours, within that time they realize the time between explosions gets minutely smaller and smaller with every blast.

Shiro, and the blade take evacuating duty, while the rest are on standby to go after the alien with the remote.

They locate them orbiting the planet in one of the many stations in orbit and they secure them with the lions.

The bombs now disabled, the fun part starts.

Locating all the bombs and finding Keith!

They learn the hard way the bombs are tamper proof when a random background character finds the first charge and sets it off.

So it's over the course of three days that they disable the bombs and search the tubes, Keith of course is in none of the ones they searched.

Turns out the aliens were liars, the bombs went off at random, yes, but Keith's was always set to go off last, just below the meeting hall.

No one thinks to look in the meeting hall basement for a bomb til after they have disarmed all the other charges without finding Keith.

Keith, is very hungry and dehydrated at this point, it's been three days without food or water and the rumbling has stopped long before.

It's Allura who finds Keith in the end and he is rescued, and finally told what happened.

\---the end---


	41. Atlas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his shoulders he will carry the weight of the world so you won't have to.
> 
> Tags-  
> Gaurdian Shiro, Protective Shiro, Supportive Shiro, Grieving Allura, Anxious Hunk, Self Destructive Pidge, Lance Has Self Worth Issues, Keith Has Trust Issues, Shiro Helps Everyone

Shiro, basicly is some type of god or spirit or something.

And one by one he meets the team and supports them, even tho they don't know fully he is.

Like a gaurdians angel or something.

He supports Allura with her father's death and helps her gain the courage and support to take over his legacy.

He supports Hunk with his anxiety, slowly showing him that even with his anxiety and low self esteem he is worth something and is accomplishing things.

He supports Pidge when her father and brother are MIA during a mission, helps and prevents her from neglecting herself and self destructing in her quest to find them and bring them home.

He supports Lance with his self esteem and low self worth, showing him just because his family doesn't always have time to spend with him and appreciate his accomplishments, doesn't mean they are proud and don't value him.

He supports Keith after he loses his father and is dragged into the foster system, preventing him from falling apart and giving up when things reach their lowest point, helps him hold out til his mother's extended family(marmora) finds and adopts him reuniting him with his missing mother.

Shiro finds and guides each of them into finding themselves through their own hardships, eventually leaving them when they finally have the strength to guide themselves.

In the end Shiro finds them again and sees they all befriended each other and it's all sweet and sappy.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually just came up with this, so I am popping in real quick to write it down.


	42. The high priest's treasure (Zarkeith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He took my heart and gave me all the riches he could give,
> 
> He took my body and dragged me away from claws of death,
> 
> He took my head and filled it with insanity he wished to share,
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith/Zarkon, Zarkeith Starts Out Healthy But Becomes Unhealthy Later On, Major Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Alchemist Keith, Keith is Alfor's Cousin, Amnesia, Quintessence, War, Experimentation, Human Experimentation, Obsessive Keith, Champion Shiro, Keith Wants Shiro But Only Scientifically, Keith is Willing To Betray Zarkon To Get Shiro, Obsessed Zarkon, Zarkon Wants To Kill Shiro

So, honerva doesn't exist in this AU, Keith basicly is in her place and it diverts for canon from there.

Altean Keith is an alchemist who traveled to Daizabaal to research the fluctuation of energy emitting from the planet, this is before the comet comes and the rift and build Voltron.

As basicly the royal alchemist and cousin of the altean king, Keith is big news, but he doesn't care much for the attention and responsibilities of royalty, he is all about his research.

Moving to Daizabaal means he has to consult with Zarkon alot, over time they grow close, Keith is oblivious at first cause he is focused on his research and galra courting habits aren't common knowledge to alteans.

Basicly it's Alfor who informs Keith that Zarkons strange behaviour is him trying to court Keith, Keith doesn't immediately become a blushing mess because he never considered romancing when he left altea, so instead of being awkward Keith is just more observent of Zarkon after learning about the courting.

Eventually Keith and Zarkon become mutually sappy and find towards each other and they become official.

It's around this the the comet arrives and Alfor gets obsessed with it much to Keith's annoyance, he may not be particularly fond of his cousin but he isn't used to his cousin outright ignoring him to focus on the comet.

It's fine though cause Keith focuses on the rift and quintessence to Zarkons annoyance, it puts a strain on their relationship for a while til the lions are finished and Zarkon becoems busy as well.

After awhile they decide to take time off their obsessions to have a wedding and share their time together, to prove to each other they haven't forgotten each other.

During that time Alfor looks into the research of the rift and realizes it is more dangerous then he ever considered.

Alfor interrupts Zarkeith time and gets into an argument with Zarkon.

Keith realizes his downtime with Zarkon is over cause Alfor is a jerk and goes back to research.

The strain on the alliance becomes noticable from the other members of Voltron and people start taking sides.

It all really blows up when a lab accident caused by tampering ends Keith's life, Zarkon banishes Alfor from Daizabaal.

Alfor and the other paladins retreat to let Zarkon mourn, but that doesn't last long.

Zarkon goes into the rift with Keith making it visably unstable and Voltron takes this opportunity to go behind Zarkons back and attempt to destroy the rift by targeting Daizabaal.

It doesn't completely work as planned, Zarkon leaves the rift with Keith, who is now white haired and sharp markings and pale skin and not dead, but not awake.

The rift closes upon their exit, in the ensuing backlash Alfor sends the lions and the castle away and holds the galra army at bay long enough for them to escape and then the altean army falls and altea is destroyed.

-time skip to when Keith wakes-

Keith has lost all his memories as his price for life, and has no idea who he is.

Zarkon is there though to tell him, though Zarkon is more intense and obsessed and angry now different then he was before.

Keith while he doesn't know Zarkon like he did still feels a attachment towards him, drawn to him, so he stays.

He starts new research, for the betterment of the galra, gathers quintessence sensitive galra as followers dubbing them druids, becoming himself their high priest.

-time skip to Keith descovering shiro-

Keith isn't heartless, but he isn't always merciful, everything he knows is what he has experienced with the galra after his awakening and what Zarkon taught him.

The empire is all he knows and he uses all his means to empower and protect it.

Arena participants aren't just for entertainment, they are the biggest source for experimentation subjects, tests are made on the fighters before deemed viable enough to grant to the armies strongest. (Like how sendaks arm is an upgrade from Shiros, Shiro was a prototype test)

The druids only take interest in the strongest of the fighters, the champions, the winners.

Keith's current focus is a gladiator named myzax, he isn't quite satisfied with myzax's weaponry completely sending him into battle over and over to find flaws to improve.

He is watching the battle when Shiro takes myzax down in his first battle.

Keith has myzax dragged back to his lab in frustration, myzax his repeated champion lost to a new face.

After thoroughly punishing myzax and dismantling his enhancments for thorough reviewing, Keith turns his focus to shiro.

He watches battle after battle of Shiros victories, he gets curious, orders druids to drug Shiros food.

Sometimes with boosters, sometimes with weakeners.

Shiros wins only increase and so does Keith's interest, Zarkon notices coming to watch the matches sometimes to see what has taken Keith's attention this time.

In a particularly brutal confrontation Shiro injures his arm as a tactic to get an upper hand, Keith notices.

Keith thinks 'if his arm were stronger he could have taken the upper hand without sacrifice'

Keith orders Shiro to his lab.

Keith along with ulaz and two druids have the lab prepped for shiro when he is delivered.

Shaken and still running on adrenaline from his fight Shiro is confused and apprehensive about being brought somewhere other then his cell.

For now they only take in his vitals and conditionings.

But over time Keith continues taking Shiro after fights to test his endurance and constitution, marveling at his strength and adaptability, the latter of which surpasses galras abilities to adapt.

Just when Shiro gets used to the testing and less apprehensive, Keith decides to take his arm, which has long since healed.

Shiro is of course traumatized.

Shiro is left in the lab with Ulaz tho when Keith is called back by Zarkon who has located the blue lion, Keith is not happy about being interupted but humors Zarkon regardless.

Keith having forgotten the prerift trip, has forgotten about why Voltron is such a big deal and believes they can better the empire without it, but keeps that to himself.

Meanwhile ulaz frees Shiro and sends him to earth.

Keith will not be happy to find out about that, seeing as he decided Shiro is the perfect subject to better the advancements of the empire greatly.

With Shiro gone, Keith has nothing better to do then assist Zarkon in retrieving Voltron and guiding his druids, the former is much to his dismay.

When the information from sendak comes back that the black paladin is Shiro, Keith takes confronting Voltron alot more seriously and starts by sending myzax at Shiro.

Keith's attention is soon completely taken by Voltron, every win just makes Keith that more obsessed with Shiro, seeing Voltrons strength as Shiros.

So basically Zarkon wants Voltron, but Keith wants Shiro and Zarkon low-key wants to kill Shiro for flying the black lion and Keith is willing to over throw Zarkon to obtain Shiro.

Keith is an obessive mad scientist druid priest, this is not Sheith.

-will return to this one-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evil druid Keith is my favorite trope, 
> 
> There shall be no redemption.


	43. Raised by wolves (Sheith? Maybe?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was as feral and free as the wolves he ran with,
> 
> It was hard to believe he could be anything but a wolf.
> 
> Tags-  
> Hinted Keith/Shiro, Werewolves, Half Werewolf Keith, Witch Shiro, Fae Matt & Pidge, Merfolk Lance & Hunk, Werewolf James, Highschool AU, Supernatural Creatures, Bullying, Pack Behaviours, Feral Behaviours, Keith is Cuddly And Soft With His Pack Only, Keith is A Feral Wolf Child Who Only Knows How to Be A Wolf, Misunderstandings, Blood, Injury

The marmora are a pack of werewolves and Keith was raised by them.

His mother, krolia, being a high ranking wolf within the pack.

His father being one of those fire watch humans who is secluded in the woods in a watch tower monitoring for forest fires.

So Keith is born and they decide it's best for him to be raised by the wolves in the event he takes after his mother during puberty. 

Let's say werewolves born with human blood tend to be late bloomers, a pure blood werewolf pup can shift at birth and has no control over it til they get older, while a half wolf will not have their first shift til they reach puberty, sometimes later then that or never at all.

So Keith is raised by the pack, he doesn't exactly know his father is human because his father died a few years after he was born but young enough he doesn't remember him.

Being the only pup in the pack, he grows up assuming he is a pure blood wolf and he will shift when he gets older.

As a human with wolf blood, he smells like a wolf and the sense of smell and instincts of a wolf like the rest of the peck when they shift into human form.

So as he gets older the pack ventures to their second home, which is a huge house near the city.

Til now Keith was home schooled, to the best of the packs abilities, cause they were literally in the woods sleeping in dens and not in a house with books and paper...

Allura and coran are witches and teachers at the school Keith transfers into.

Their happens to be alot of supernatural races in the school, because they tend to flock together as a community.

So half wolf Keith, who smells like a wolf, hangs out with wolves, lives with wolves and acts like a wolf, starts high school.

Everyone at the school assumes he can shift and are afraid of him, cause a wolf that loses their temper, especially a teenage wolf, is dangerous.

Keith kinda avoids everyone but his pack so he doesn't notice he is given a wide berth...

No one was told Keith is only half wolf, cause marmora is like that... So they just go on assuming he can and will shift if tormented.

Which prompts bullies attempting to bring his wolf out, Keith of course fights back but doesn't shift, cause he can't.

He gains a reputation because of the fights.

Shiro, who is a witch, learns about Keith from allura.

Allura, who is worried Keith will go too far and shift and maul someone, tells Shiro to keep an eye on him.

\----some exposition---

The holts are fae, Matt is of course Shiros friend

Hunk and lance are mer

James is a wolf (who likes challenging Keith and is the leader of the 'make Keith shift' gang)

Lotor is a half Fae and is an English teacher

Lotor's generals are also half Fae but their other half isn't the same as lotor who is half witch

\-----end of exposition----

They transfer into school after Shiro becomes Keith's friend and hear the rumors that Shiro has tamed Keith the scary wolf

Basicly Keith always joins his pack for runs and during full moons even though he can't shift, but that leads everyone to assume he does infact shift and run with his pack

Everyone begins to think Keith is hiding his wolf from outsiders, which isn't exactly unusual for werewolves to do.

Also Shiro is secretly nervous around werewolves because of a past trauma with wolves.

Aka which haggar had a wolf familiars.

Something comes up in the marmora territory and the pack doesn't want Keith to assist til he can shift and also don't want him to neglect schooling so they all go back to the woods and leave him behind in the empty house.

So Keith becomes irritable and closed off cause he can't run with his pack and sleep in a pack pile or play with his pack anymore.

Shiro and the trio who are now Keith's friends at school all notice.

They think he is irritated because he doesn't think he can shift without his pack or that he refused to. 

When the pack left, allura who is charged with monitoring the city of course noticed the lack of howls, normally a lone wolf will howl more when missing it's pack, so she told Shiro to watch out for Keith even more.

So everyone is on their toes fearing Keith will snap and shift at school, even James is aware how this is effecting Keith, though he doesn't stop tormenting Keith.

Normally a wolf who refuses to shift will have a painful transformation during the next full moon and lose control of themselves, but seeing as Keith is a half wolf.

Keith doesn't go to school the days before the full moon, he locks himself in his empty house and sits in the packs den room depressed.

Shiro who is worried wants to go check on him, everyone telling him not to cause it would be dangerous.

Allura and her coven of witches are on high alert watching over the marmora house, in case Keith during his shift enters town instead of the woods.

Keith has actually been avoiding the woods after his pack left because they weren't the only wolves using those woods around town.

James's pack is one of the other ones who roams, he stayed away from the marmora pack because they werent to be messed with.

But Keith who is now depressed and missing his pack leaves the house at moon rise and goes into the woods.

He follows their fading scent and keeps his ears alert listening for their distant howls, which he doesn't hear.

James of course catches Keith's scent on the wind and is like "finally gonna challenge Keith wolf to wolf!"

Keith hears the howls of James and his gang and realizes what is going on and tries to make a break for it.

Keith gets cornered by a gang of wolves high off moon energy all alone.

As a wolf James's instinct is at the forefront of his mind, not his logic.

So instead of seeing Keith and wondering why he isn't in wolf form, he 'smells' Keith and Keith smells like a wolf and he wants to challenge Keith for dominance.

Keith knowing he can't win in a fair fight as a wolf, he gets some good hits in beforing making a run for it, activating James and his gangs hunting and chasing instinct.

Shiro comes to the rescue with pidge, Matt, hunk and lance.

Cause when he made it clear he was gonna check on Keith the rest of the gang wouldn't let him go alone.

So they find a very human Keith cornered by a very wolf James and friends.

They use their nonhuman abilities to chase James away and save Keith, who is very injured, cause I doubt anyone can punch a wolf in the face and not get hurt in the process.

After that everyone finds out Keith can't shift and they all feel stupid.

 

The end I guess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I saw the line "human in a werewolf pack" line in the notes of another fic (meet me in the woods, I think) and I thought, what if everyone just assumed Keith was a wolf and no one corrected them.


	44. The sound of sadness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I cry and cry til my throat bleeds, but still fail to reach your ears...
> 
> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Lonely Keith, Hurt Keith, Keith Needs a Hug, Headaches

This basicly follows canon, mostly

Keith, has chronicle head aches.

Back on Earth he was taking painkillers to ease the ache, but no one knew what caused the headaches so Keith was just told by everyone they were tension headaches.

When Keith met Shiro the headaches started to ease on their own, but he thought nothing of it.

After Kerberos, they got severely worse, to the point they weren't just a dismissable ache, they were full on migraines.

So fast forward to the castleship and the ache has eased back into a dismissable ache, but hasn't eased like when Keith met Shiro.

The ache fluctuates, and is at it's worse during times of stress and when Keith is having trouble coping.

But it is almost constant.

Things divert from canon when Ulaz sneaks onto the castleship.

During the "try to stop the intruder" scene, Ulaz falters when Keith is near.

Turns out the headaches weren't actually headaches.

Keith was making a constant sound at a frequency no one could hear, and it was causing him pain.

Keith doesn't have galran senses so he could hear it.

But Ulaz could hear it and was quite shocked to say the least.

So basically, Keith was "crying out for help" and literally no one could hear.

Ulaz though, doesn't get the chance to say or do anything about it because Shiro recognizes him and Allura comes to restrain him.

Things escalate as they did in canon and Ulaz sacrifices himself to stop the robeast.

Keith's headache is really bad when that happens...

Flash forward again 

And Keith is nursing a bad migraine as they reach the blade headquarters, stressing about his knife and alluras racism and everything.

Shiro even pulls Keith aside to ask if he is really okay because of how much strain he has had from the headaches recently.

But Keith quickly dismisses it and says he is fine and they go-to the blade.

Just to note, Keith's cries can't be heard through his helmet, so it's not until they get to kolivan and antok knocks it off do all the blades hear it and falter like Ulaz did.

Alot of the blades hesitate, antok included, at this point.

Kolivan gets the blades back into focus and tells Keith to "hold back" on the noise, but neither Keith or Shiro understand cause they don't hear it.

The blades realise he doesn't know he is making that noise and/or can't hear it.

Keith still has to do the trials to prove his trustworthiness, but the blade know he is galra, they don't tell him tho...

Alot of the blades falter during the trial, because of how loud Keith gets, of course he only notices how much his headaches are getting worse.

Once Keith proves himself they reveal his heritage and take him to the marmora medbay.

At the medbay Keith's cries bring distress to the other patients (cause it's a child noise)

One of the nurses grabs Keith by the back of the neck and presses a pressure point behind his ears to quiet him.

Both Keith and Shiro are confused, but Keith is quickly distracted the confused distress when he feels the headache fade to nothing.

That's when Keith finds out the headache isn't a headache, and that it is because he is galra.

\----that's all folks-----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea is basicly
> 
> Keith is lonely and sad and hurt, and makes galra cries seeking comfort and support but no one can hear him
> 
> Keith isn't a child in this, the cries he makes most galra can make, but they stop once they reach maturity because they don't need to cry for comfort as much anymore, they can seek it out themselves.
> 
> Keith does it subconsciously cause he doesn't know he is doing it and was never taught to stop, the pain is because the sound was never meant to be made continuously.


	45. A new hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The galra have taken our home,
> 
> Voltron has taken our savior,
> 
> And now honerva will give us our future.
> 
> Tags-  
> Altean Lance, Altean Colonies, Evil Lance, Lance Joins Honerva

Basicly, I don't think I have seen any altean AUs where they were born on the colonies so I made some.

Lance and his family are altean, and were born and raised in the colonies under lotor's rule.

Veronica takes the place of romelle in this one, meaning she goes with Keith and krolia to learn what lotor had been doing.

Lance and Veronica's brother is the one Veronica discovers drained of quintessence.

Lance is left behind in the colony with no idea.

So honerva comes to preach about her vision and what Voltron has done and lance steps up for what he believes is a nobel cause.

Basically, Lance becomes one of honerva's most trusted soldier's and fights Voltron and the coilition as an enemy.

That's it, that's the AU


	46. Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Altean Keith, Galra Keith, Keith is Lotor's Son, Keith Wants Revenge, Keith Commands an Army of Alteans

A, "Keith is lotor's son" AU, where lotor hid him in the altean colonies away from haggar and his father and his generals and Voltron.

Instead of honerva taking over the colony when lotor vanishes, Keith some how knows what happened to lotor and leads the alteans to get revenge.

Keith was kept in the dark about the quintessence farming, so he believes his father is innocent and that Voltron is to blame for his father going mad.

So you got, honerva running around trying to ressurect lotor.

The strays of the empire fighting to fill the power vacuum.

And Keith gathering the altean colonies to get revenge.

Honerva at some point realizes Keith is her grandson and tries to claim him, for whatever twisted family she is trying to ressurect.

Allura and Voltron not realizing who Keith is and thinking he is just another general of lotor's.

Keith finding lotor's generals and recruiting them somehow.

That's all I got for now

\---i might return to this----


	47. Driving me crazy (klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Background Keith/Lance, Coffee Shop AU, College AU, Modern AU, Slowburn Klance, Slav is Still an Alien, Everyone Else is Human, Shiro is Not Okay With This

A completely normal slowburn klance college AU from Shiros POV.

Lance is a part time barista and has hunk for a roommate.

Keith joins the staff at the coffee shop when he becomes in need for money, he has pidge as a roommate.

They bicker and tease and flirt, but won't admit they like eachother.

They all go to the same college, and everything is completely normal.

Except Slav.

Slav is exactly as he is in canon and the only person who notices the obvious alien is Shiro and it drives him absolutely insane.

That's the whole AU, klance is slowly growing in the background while Shiro tries to point out how professor Slav is obviously not human.

Basicly everyone sees Slav as human except Shiro.

And they are to distracted by klance and college assignments and work shifts to care about Slav.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I personally find this immensely amusing.


	48. You were my brother (Kallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro wasn't blind, he knew how Keith felt, that didn't make it any less painful...
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith/Allura, One-sided Shiro/Keith, Pining Shiro, Heartbroken Shiro, Grieving Keith

A Shiro POV of the aftermath.

So Shiro loves Keith, but Keith loves Allura.

Keith and Allura get together instead of Lance and Allura. (Lance's flirting in this AU being merely platonic teasing)

Shiro learning from his clones memories that Keith doesn't see him as anything beyond a brother and becoming devastated by it.(You're my brother, I love you)

And that is the whole AU

Keith coping with Allura's sacrifice, Shiro getting into a marriage with Curtis to try and get over Keith.


	49. Behind the mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Masked vigilantes, Crime Fighting, Instead of Joining the Garrison Keith Runs Away And Becomes A Superhero, Keith is A Badass, Keith is Also Really Shy, Secret Identities

Keith never went to the garrison, he never met Shiro, he missed the day Shiro visited his school.

So around the time the Lance and Hunk are just starting out at the Garrison, before Kerberos, Keith learns he isn't human.

He doesn't know he is galra, no one on Earth knows of aliens, he assumes he is a cryptid or supernatural being.

He realizes he has enhanced senses and strength, his eyes turn to slits and his teeth change to fangs when he feels extreme emotions. (Like only vaguely galra, you wouldn't know is a galra trait unless you knew he was galra)

So he does what any kid would do, he becomes a masked vigilante.

He turns his dad's desert shack into his base of operations. Where he makes improvised explosives and smoke bombs and other gadgets like climbing equipment and stuff for picking locks and high jacking vehicles.

He learns to rely on himself while using his abilities to play hero. (Let's assume the town around the Garrison is filled with alot more petty crime)

He never met Shiro, so he doesn't learn the life lessons Shiro taught him about trust and patience and everything, he learned his own lessons alone.

So he spends his time doing odd jobs for money and food, while also saving naive cadets from criminals. (Lance being one of them cause he sneaks into town at night alot with hunk)

Fast forward to after Kerberos and Shiro crash landing in the desert.

The Garrison trio rescued Shiro, cause Keith never lost his way with Shiros disappearance, they high jack a Garrison Jeep and flee into the desert finding Keith's shack.

Keith who was preparing to head out in his vigilante costume confronts them and they come to a truce. (Keith doesn't take his costume off)

They all go and find blue and get blasted into space, Keith included.

From here it loosely follows the series' plot, with the biggest difference being Keith is a stranger to everyone and doesn't trust anyone.

And Keith refuses to take off his mask cause he doesn't trust anyone.


	50. What went wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galra just aren't as flexible as humans...
> 
> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Genetics, Genetic Disorders, Immune Disorders, Chronic Illnesses, Fatal Illnesses, Galra Hybrids Are Unstable, Worried Kolivan, Human Experimention, Genetic Mutation, Genetic Therapies, Implied/Referenced Child Death, Keith's Galra DNA is Killing Him, Self Medicating, Missions Gone Wrong, Torture, Obsessed Haggar, She Wants a Replacement For Lotor, Captured Keith

Although Keith presented strickly as human most of his life he took after his galra parent more then anyone knew.

Galra, while they seem strong and adaptable, with how they have thrived in their universal expansion, you'd expect them to be adaptable.

Truth is galra haven't evolved much over the ten thousand years they have spent in space and colonizing planets, they stayed pretty much unchanged.

What of hybrids you might ask? While galra have shown promise with hybridization of other races, it isn't their galra heritage that makes the hybrids possible.

Most galra hybrids are sterile, while many more circum to their own galra blood, a common genetic disorder in which the galran immune system attacks their own cells due to its non galran DNA.

The empire has inturn developed a prejudice against hybrids in an attempt to decrease hybrid births, going as far as punishing the galran parent and culling the non galran parent.

While not as strick as the empire, the blade has also put in place strick rules against interspecies relationships.

Haggar had mutated lotor's DNA to force his altean half into dominance, as alteans are one of the most adaptable species in the universe, lotor as a side effect has to rely on the druids regularly to prevent his galra DNA from overcoming his alteans DNA.

Lotor's generals are all sterile, he was lucky enough to save them from being culled and earning their loyalty in return. 

Narti is hinted to have had the galran immune disease at birth, but since being raised by the druids she shows no signs or symptoms

Now whether Krolia abandoned Keith to protect him from culling or her own punishment for breaking taboo, or whether she abandoned him because she couldn't live to see him circum to the galran immune disease isn't really clear.

But when he was born alarmingly human, she left him with his father leaving only a vague warning about watching his health.

So when everyone gets to space and we fast forward to the blade alliance...

The blade doesn't believe Keith to be galra right away because of his human appearance and the fact that him even possibly being galra would mean someone broke one of the most forbidden taboos.

For galra children are sacred, they as I have mentioned aren't flexible as many other races, they struggle to conceive and sometimes their young don't always survive childhood.

But for half-blood children, it is seen as a mercy to cull them at birth because, (1) they are nearly garanteed to be sterile, meaning they are a dead end blood line and (2) they are likely to develop galran immune disease and suffer a short and painfilled life.

Meaning if Keith was born within the empire or blade he would have been culled at birth, but since he arrived an almost adult the blade can't do anything about him.

Keith of course knows nothing about what being a hybrid means.

Keith has been dealing with chronic pain most of his life, it started with slight aches after his father died, by now it is slight joint pain and headaches, the sort of things that are easily disregarded as stress or pushing himself too far in training.

So the blade assume he simply doesnt have GID (galran immune disease cause it's too long to write out over and over) and don't bother to give Keith a second thought.

Most hybrids won't make it to Keith's age with GID, or by the time they reach his age they are crippled by it, because it usually strikes young and severely.

More often then not GID symptoms start during development before birth, so it is highly unusual for GID hybrids to reach maturity.

So no one realizes Keith has it, and no one takes a second thought to Keith when he mentions he is sore or has a headache.

The symptoms get worse with every druid attack.

Before Keith was struck by the druid in the quintessence hub the aches were every once and awhile, after they became nearly everyday, Keith just assumed it was a druid thing, because he was given a clean bill of health in the medbay.

After rescuing allura from Central Command he developed head aches.

After the blade/Voltron/rebel combined attack on Central Command Keith's aches are constant and his head aches frequent.

He starts taking pain killers and/or sleep aids.

He is hit by spells of dizziness and nausea around meals, and begins to feel fatigued enough to skip his extra training.

It's around this time everyone is getting worried, but they attribute it to him not taking care of himself in Shiros absence.

It's after Keith is made black paladin when things change.

The paladins meet with the blade to talk about the empires move now that Zarkon is gone.

Keith has been forced to sit out and rest because the others are worried he was dozing off most of the day.

When kolivan asks of the black paladin's absence the paladins say he hasnt been feeling well since the previous paladin has vanished.

The paladins offhandedly mention he hasn't been eating and sleeping well and stuff like that.

And it raises some red flags to a few of the blades, they are even more concerned about how unpanicked the paladins sound about a hybrid falling ill.

Cause to galra, hybrids are usually as Hardy as fullbloods unless they are suffering from a fatal illness or GID.

When kolivan voices concerns they don't take it serious at first, saying he is just not taking care of himself, because a human feeling under the weather isn't usually a cause for panic.

One of the other blades in the background loses their temper at their disregard to a hybrids health bringing up the point of how fragile hybrids are.

The paladins don't get it until kolivan calmly explains it.

And then they worry.

They decide to check on Keith when the meeting is over, the blade deciding it's best to send a specialist.

But before they can confirm anything they get a distress signal.

They put it off and go to the source of the signal.

There aren't any galra in the atmosphere, nor any ships or visable bases planet side so they decide it's safe to go land and check on foot.

Turns out to be a trap.

A rogue galra commander has hidden a fleet within the planets maze like valley system filled with underground hangers.

By the time the team realize they are out numbered they are already far from their lions out in the open.

Trying to sneak back on foot is too much of a risk as the fighters know Voltron has landed and are patrolling the area from the sky, so they decide to break into one of the hangers and high jack some galran fighters to make it back to the lions.

The plan goes well til they are spotted by a sentry droid, it triggered the alarm before they could deactivate it.

One thing leads to another and they are fleeing like mad men to the fighters.

In the chaos Keith doesn't make it to into a fighter but it's too late turn back for him.

But the time they return to the lions and start counter attacking they are outnumbered.

Keith has been captured and they are forced to retreat to prevent the black lion from being taken too.

Keith is taken to the druids to be interrogated and they learn he is a hybrid.

The druid lightening used to punish him has the side effect of strengthening his galra DNA and worsening his GID.

The aches and pains are constant now and just shy of really painful, taking away any and all chances to find comfort in his threadbare cell cot.

The headaches seem to pair with the fatigue making sleep hard to come by while also making Keith all the more desperate for rest.

The nausea has gotten severe enough that the sight and smell of food has become sickening, preventing him from stomaching anything.

More symptoms show up as well, his most delicate organs are wearing down.

Not noticably, minor at first.  
Like a sore stomach and guts he blames on the nausea and vomiting, or slight shortness of breath he blames on fatigue and pain.

The druids realize Keith is sick quickly and consult haggar.

Haggar has decided to take a look at the hybrid paladin personally.

So suddenly Keith is being transferred, and the druids have stopped tormenting him.

Trays of food have been replaced with nutrient injections and no more lightening.

Keith is shoved in a cryo/preservation pod immediately upon arriving to haggars lab.

And haggar recognizing the GID immediately decides to cure Keith as she has lotor.

Probably out of connection of hybrid GID lotor = hybrid GID Keith, and her strong obsession with lotor and possessive need to be in control.

So haggar has Keith unconscious through out the entire treatment that takes months.

Meanwhile the paladins have found Shiro, let's pretend he's not a clone for once.

They have no lead on finding Keith and are distracted by lotor who appeared shortly after Keith's capture, they also think lotor knows where Keith is so they are focusing entirely on him.

So fast forward and haggar has cured Keith's GID just like she cured Shiros degenerative disease.

Turns out making Keith's human DNA more dominant was alot easier then doing so with lotor's altean DNA.

Human DNA is very dominant in itself, altean DNA is very flexible but also submissive, while human DNA is both dominant and flexible.

Haggar gets the idea in her head that she can use human DNA as a stablizer to make hybridization a tool for expansion in the future.

For now tho she wakes Keith up and decides it's time to train her new soldier.

Keith of course thinks haggars crazy and doesn't go along with her.

So she gives him a shock collar, fast forward a month or two and Keith decides he should pretend to play along and give in to find a way to escape.

Meanwhile, lotor has made an alliance with voltron and they find out that haggar probably has Keith.

Keith is forced to follow haggar everywhere like a good little lap dog, she only lets him out of her sight to lock him in her lab in a cage.

So Keith is no closer at escaping.

\------to be continued, i need sleep---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started as "Keith is sick cause he is galra" 
> 
> to "the druids magic is killing Keith" 
> 
> all the way to "haggar sees lotor in Keith and decides if she can't get lotor to stop rebelling, she might as well make a replacement"
> 
>  
> 
> I'm gonna go sleep this headache off now... Or maybe mindlessly scroll my feed, whichever works *shrug*


	51. Don't let the cat outta the bag! (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not really a secret then is it?
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith/Lance, Galra Keith, Galra Lance, Oblivious Lance, Supportive Team, Galran Refugees

Lance POV

Basicly, Lance is part galra just like Keith, except Lance is completely aware of it the whole time.

We go through canon with Lance being very bad at trying to keep it a secret, like he will know galra stuff he shouldn't or say something like "must be nice" when someone complains about a normal human thing.

In the beginning he is really panicky and scared everyone will find out, and tries extra hard to keep it a secret.

But as the blade reveal happens he starts to slip up more cause he tries to take the heat off Keith and defend the galra like Keith does.

(Lance isn't a blade, neither are his galra relatives, they just happen to be deserters of the empire who settled on Earth and now just happen to live in Cuba, meaning Lance's family is a mesh of full galra/full humans/half breeds/and more)

So by the time everyone accepts Keith, Lance feels it's too late to tell them cause he knew his heritage all along, unlike Keith who never knew.

The funny thing is everyone already kinda found out and they don't really care.

Keith found out cause they started dating after his heritage reveal.

Hunk found out because he is nosey and goes through everyone's stuff. (Family pictures)

Coran found out through the healing pods.

Pidge found out because they know everything, I'll leave it up to your imagination.

Shiro found out the same way as Allura, Hunk is bad at keeping secrets and blabbered while stress baking and Shiro over heard with the mice.(the mice told allura)

So long story short everyone already found out and no one really hates lance for it.

But lance doesn't know they know and keeps trying to keep it secret.

So sometimes pidge will ask lance a to read something in galran while they is translating stolen data and he will unconsciously do it before realizing he did and fleeing.

Hunk will ask stuff like "do galra-" this or that and Lance will be like "yeah dude totally" or "no man, where'd you get that idea" and like with pidge not notice it right away.

Keith will be like "it's good to know I'm not alone" when taking about being part galra and lance will just be like "of course" just assuming Keith meant them dating and not them being part galra.

Coran will tell both Keith and Lance stories about the galra before the war and shine them in a better light.

And so on and so forth.

Lance is completely oblivious to all the signs that everyone knows and oblivious to how they support him and his heritage.

In the end one of them will offhandedly call Lance galra and he will be like "me? Galra? Hahaha no! Nope! You are mistaken!"

And they will reveal they know and he will sputter "are you serious!?" And so on, til they all laugh about how oblivious lance is and Keith probably kisses him.


	52. Anything you can do I can do better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can do anything,
> 
> Better then you....
> 
> Tags-  
> Dark Lance, Clone Shiro, Keith Angst, Manipulative Lance, Smart Lance, Jealous Lance, Greedy Lance, Sleeper Agent Shiro, Evil Clone

Evil Lance AU... Kinda?

Lance is alot smarter then anyone gave him credit for, but he didn't use it for the best purposes.

He is manipulative basicly.

Nothing really came of it at first, it was always little things.

Like turning the tables on his siblings at home or his classmates at school got blamed for his actions and got in trouble instead.

But he learned over time he could use it for his own gain, get others on his side to do things for him, away voting counts. Turn students against each other so those against him regret not being on his side.

When he got into the Garrison things changed.

His manipulation had less away then his grades.

At some point he decided he'd have more control if he could get a higher position.

But his flying skills have stuck him in the cargo class, where he is lower then the fighter pilots.

He decided the fastest way to move up would be to make a fighter pilot lose their spot.

He targets Keith, teasing directly wouldn't be smart because of Shiros sway towards the Garrison teachers.

So he insists others, starts rumors, gets James to taunt Keith.

And it works.

Keith gets into fights, becomes a discipline problem.

But Shiro continues to bail Keith out, much to Lance's dismay.

Not for long though.

Shiro is sent to Kerberos and Lance doesn't miss the chance.

The rumors get worse and so does the tormenting.

Keith holds on for awhile, but the news of Kerberos' loss is the final nail on the coffin.

Keith is expelled and lance makes fighter pilot.

Lance takes satisfaction in his position.

And then he finds the Blue Lion with the others.

Given the amount of people on the castle ship there is, he can't make any huge waves without gathering suspicion so he lays low and settles for Blue.

But he wants Black.

Shiro's disappearance is an opportunity, but he doesn't make the cut.

Keith does.

And Lance takes it personal.

He decides to make Keith leave.

Tampering with Pidges things to make her stay up more to fix or find what is wrong, making her temper shorter from lack of sleep and stress. That she takes out during missions and planning, putting a strain on Keith's leadership.

Subtly plants worry and doubts in hunks mind with offhanded comments, making him more likely to question Keith's leadership.

Becoming Keith's only support system so he can subtly plant more worries onto him, encouraging bad decisions and impulsivity.

Behind the scenes at every step sabotaging the teams dynamic and making it seems like Keith is at fault for not being patient enough or being too impulsive or selfish.

Finding Shiro makes lance hesitate, because Shiro could destroy all his ground work.

But he soon realizes Shiro is only feeding into the sabotage.

He notices Shiro being just as manipulative as he is, using Keith's trust to undermine him and the team.

Lance contemplates confronting Shiro a few times, but chooses against exposing himself in case it backfires.

The fact Shiro fails to connect with Black is another bonus.

Soon Keith is leaving more and more often to blade missions and the team grows less and less forgiving.

Til it all hits the fan and Shiro connects with Black while Keith is away.

Lance is peeved.

He successfully chased Keith away, but didn't get the Black Lion.

Lance turns his sights on Shiro.

\----TBC part two will come later----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dark Lance VS Clone Shiro!
> 
> Both dark and manipulative!
> 
> Both with an objective!
> 
>  
> 
> My headache is back Oof...


	53. Stay within sight (Keith/Thace)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stranded on an alien planet alone with nothing more then his armor, his bayard and a damaged lion,
> 
> Things couldn't be much worse ...
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith/Thace, Isolation, Wilderness Survival, Acid Burns, Temporary Blindness, Blind Keith, Caretaker Thace, Galra Keith

Set after the corrupted wormhole.

The green lion knocks into the red lion knocking Keith away from the black lion and sending him off alone.

In turn Pidge ends up going with Shiro instead of Keith.

Keith crashes onto a jungle planet and is knocked out as a result.

Waking alone Keith is sore from the crash, witch's lightening and confrontation with zarkon combined.

And the red lion is damaged more so, much to Keith's dismay.

With out rations in the lion or a functioning radio, Keith decides to abandon the lion for better shelter while he looks for reasources.

He makes himself a shelter away from the Lions crash zone, cause the lions landing left an open canopy and crater that drags a considerable distance through the jungle.

Secure shelter obtained he discovers the trees themselves are a viable water source, water flows just beneath the bark.

With the resources around him he creates a small basin to catch the waters from the makeshift fountain he carves out of a tree beside his shelter.

Water and shelter secured he decides to take a break to observe his surroundings.

So far he has yet to see anything besides small alien animals, insects a mix between a dragonfly and butterfly that are the size of small birds and rodent like lizards the size of cats.

He hasn't seen any types of fruit or berries on any plants around but he has yet to really explore so it's uncertain if it's just this area.

He makes a fire from thick dried leaves that have gathered on the jungle floor since branches don't seem to be a thing for these alien trees and goes to sleep.

The next day Keith spents exploring and gathering resources, mostly those dried leaves that are thick like tree bark for fire wood and looking for anything edible.

After having no luck in the fruit and berry department he decides to him some of those rodent lizard things.

Catching them seems easy at first, they don't fear him or run when approached, but the second he strikes out at one he regrets it immediately.

What first appeared to be scales turned out to be some sort of spines, they all stand up when the animal is stabbed and shoot out a spray of liquid.

Keith gets a face full of the stuff and it burns his eyes, makes his vision blur and his eyes water.

He somehow makes it back to his shelter and rinse his eyes in how water basin, the burning doesn't fade tho.

So now he is hungry, in pain and panicking.

The burning eventually becomes to much and he passes out.

\----elsewhere---

During voltrons attack and subsequent escape.

Thace had been compromised, spotted by another officer while shutting down the solar shield.

It wouldn't be too long before they come after him, he knew so as he struck down the witness.

His only option now was to escape before he is captured.

So he escapes, hitching a ride in the corrupted wormhole at last minute and spat out onto the same planet as Keith.

Having the galra and blade database gives him some info on the planets flora and fauna so he can law low til his ship is repaired.

He intends at first to stay clear of the paladin, as to not cause conflict, but that plan is quickly changed.

When Keith was sprayed by the alien lizard thing he yelled out in shock and then pain, Thace heard him.

Thace tracks Keith back to his shelter and finds him passed out their with inflamed eyes.

Thace deduces what happened and decides it wouldn't be good to let Keith continue on alone.

So basicly the poison from the lizard is a defence mechanism that blinds it's preditors so it can escape.

So thace knowing this can't leave Keith alone and blind.

And Keith now blind wakes up unable to see, in a strangers ship and completely vunerable.

So Keith doesn't know thace is galra and Thace doesn't tell him.

This leads to Keith slowly trusting thace and Thace taking care of a blind Keith who refuses to sit around even tho he can't see the jungle around him.

After the first few days of sitting around bored Keith starts trying to follow Thace and help out.

Thace just kinda lets him.

The whole idea is caretaker Thace taking care of temporarily blind Keith.

Soon Keith's vision starts to come back very blurry at first and he realizes Thace is galra.

On one hand Thace has already warned his trust, but on the other he is so used to the galra being enemies he doesn't know how to react and feels slightly betrayed.

He also has an existential crisis because he is questioning his own humanity.(his hand turned purple at the quintessence hub)

He eventually gets over it, the being wary of Thace, but not before he runs away and goes and gets himself hurt again..

After that Thace and Keith get into a routine of sorts and Keith picks up how to survive on the planet.

Like how to hunt the lizard rodents and how the fern-like plants have thick edible roots.

Thace's ship is soon completely fixed and Keith realizes he has to leave.

Thace vaguely tells Keith about the blade before he goes, Keith catching a glimpse of his blade as he does, letting him know Voltron is not fighting alone.

The next few days Keith stews in lonely contemplation.

The castle comes shortly after to pick Keith and the red lion up.

He doesn't tell them about Thace by name or about him being galra, but he doesn't mention he met an ally on the planet that helped him and that they might not be as alone in the war as they thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This could be platonic or romantic, I didn't really plan for either or.
> 
> I originally was going to make it Keith and BOM galra Shiro, but decided to pick Thace instead so I wouldn't have to fill plot holes.


	54. Please don't forget about me (krolia/Keith's father)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Krolia/Keith's Father, Krolia&Keith, Krolia Stays on Earth For Years Before Being Called Back to The Blade, Keith Forgets Krolia, Amnesia, Sad Krolia, Angst

An AU in which krolia doesn't have to leave Earth as early as she did.

Basicly she sticks around through Keith's childhood before returning to the blade.

It's from krolia's POV while she learns the difference between galran and human children.

Krolia being the stay at home mom cause she is an alien who can't expose herself to the public and Keith's father working long hours away from home to support them all.

Meaning krolia is the one Keith bonds with the most instead of his father, his father being busy most days and tired by the end of the day.

Eleven years later and krolia gets a transmission from kolivan calling her back to the blade.

Keith is understandably devistated, but he knows he can't do anything to make her stay.

He tries to convince her to bring him with her but she can't.

So they spend their last few days together, Keith's father even taking some days off so he can say goodbye too.

So in the end krolia returns to the blade and goes into deep cover in the empire.

Years later she is prepared for an extraction mission and the agent is late.

And she reunites with Keith and is devastated to learn he doesn't recognize her.

Memories get foggy over the years, Keith unconsciously forgot her after his father's death out of grief.

He doesn't immediately remember her until they get to the quantum abyss and they start getting flashes.

Then they rebond with each other and such.

And that's it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basicly if Keith was raised by Krolia, but still stayed on Earth.
> 
> Having to both support Keith and krolia means Keith's father has to work more often then if he was just supporting Keith, so he is almost never home leaving Keith to be raised by Krolia.


	55. Water in the desert (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith/Lance, Missions Gone Wrong, Major Character Death, Temporary Character Death, Quintessence, Galra Druids, Human Experimention, Starvation, Brainwashing, Amnesia, Dark Lance, Traumatized Keith, Torture, Galra Keith

Set somewhere in season two, after reuniting with the castleship and before meeting Ulaz.

Klance is already established at the start of this fic, they have been a couple for quite sometime.

Following a new clue on pidges family's whereabouts leads the team to a galran mining colony that appears to have been abandoned.

There are three bases, one on the orbiting moon, one that appears to be a hanger port and one connecting to the mining cave systems.

Given the colony seems abandoned they decide it would be safe to split up.

Pidge rigs their gauntlets with programs to hack and collect data so they don't need to make three trips.

Hunk goes with Pidge to the moon base, Lance with Keith to the mining base and Shiro alone to the hanger port base.

The moon base is completely abandoned and most of the tech has been stripped from the base, as well as any data it may have held.(pidge is understandably upset by this)

Shiro finds the hanger relatively in working order and the tech simply offline, he can't immediately find a way to get it back online and says as much over the comms.

Pidge and hunk then go to the hanger base to get data with Shiro.

Meanwhile, Keith and Lance have navigated deeper into the caves in search of a control room, they aren't having much luck and tell the others as much when they check in.

As they go deeper they notice the caves are beginning to look more an more developed and new, and they assume that means they are getting close.

Things start to get suspicious when they notice some sentries that are still online, Keith becomes more on edge, but Lance just says they probably for got to turn them off.

The further into the halls they get the less of a simple mission and more of an infiltration it becomes.

At this point the others are getting worried, Pidge is still gathering data on the console they found and Keith and Lance are told not to go any further til they can get to them.

Of course lance spots a druid transporting some quintessence and decides to check it out... and Keith has to follow to keep him in check.

Instead of finding a refinery like they found before, they follow the druid and find labratories.

Turns out this is one of haggars hidden outposts she took over after the empire abandoned the planet.

Keith and Lance collectively decide it's time to check out and leave.

But of course the druid senses them as they go and through whatever telepathic network the druids use, alerts the other druids of the Intruders.

So alarms blaring can be heard through the comms and the others are screaming "what did you guys do!?" And such

They are too busy fighting off a druid to answer, so far they have the upper hand.

Lance long distance and Keith close combat, are pretty formitable together.

That is until the druids reinforcements arrive, it becomes less of an even fight and more of a dangerous dodging game.

They have to stay practically back to back because lance lacks the ability to fight off a druid in close combat.

Lance becomes frustrated because soon it's just Keith fighting two druids off while he gets an occasional pick shot.

Out of the corner of his eye he spots a third druid and before he can make a shot of warn Keith it teleports.

In the split second it registers Lance is moving to Keith's blindspot without any plan in mind.

The druid kinda jabs it's claw into Lance's stomach (cause why is there no protection on half their paladin uniform?) And Lance goes down.

Keith then distracted by Lance going down is hit by druid lightning and goes down himself.

So basicly Lance dies and Keith is thrown into containment/a cell.

Keith is devistated after watching lance die and then having been stripped of his armor losing contact with the team.

The druids after the security breach closed off the tunnels leading planet side, so when the rest of the team heard then in trouble and rushed the caves, they couldn't find them.

Keith kinda loses motivation to fight back and doesn't even eat the food brought by the sentry droids. (The food is drugged)

Meanwhile Lance have become the druids new favorite toy, they reanimate his corpse and brainwash him into a new slate.(the reanimation has the side effect of memory loss, making the brain washing easier)

While that was going on a robeast had come to the planet forcing three fifths of Voltron to retreat, the robeast kinda sticks around making rescue very hard.

Haggar arrives shortly after their retreat and goes to join the druids in their fun.

Keith, now kinda half dead from dehydration and hunger wakes to find haggar in the doorway to his cell, just behind her a strangely slight soldier in fullbody purple armor.

Keith is like "what more do you monsters want from me" and haggar is like "I thought you'd be happy to see your little friend again" and she waves at the soldiers helmet and it desolves (Kinda like the blades masks) to reveal Lance's face.

Keith is half believing it's a dream or hallucination caused by not eating and half believing it's a trick.

Lance's face is devoid of Earth and recognition, even when Keith calls out to him, he stands at haggars side emotionlessly.

Haggar then goes on a villain monologue explaining how Lance is now loyal to the empire and doesn't care about Voltron or Keith anymore and how Keith should just surrender his loyalties to the empire.

To which Keith refuses, while still trying to decide how to get through to Lance who he thinks is hypnotized. (He is not, he just doesn't remember anything before waking up from being dead)

From there haggar and lance leave Keith alone to be devistated.

After that it's just torturing Keith and Keith deciding he can't give up til he brings lance back and then lance torturing Keith under haggars orders.(cause haggar realizes they are more then teammates and friends and uses that as another form of torture)

Eventually they discover Keith's heritage (being before the preUlaz meeting it's pretty devistating new for Keith to hear from haggar while not know of the galra resistance)

_---------------_  
I don't know what would continue after that point. 

The idea was simply Keith refusing to abandon zombie brainwashed Lance even at the cost of his own sanity.

_---------------_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the suffering


	56. Keith & Kosmo (Shadam)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Shiro/Adam, Keith&Kosmo, Lilo & Stitch AU, Aliens, Kosmo is Stitch, Keith is Lilo, Shiro is Nani, Kosmo is Still a Space Wolf, Lance is A Bully, Sanda is a Social Worker, Allura is an "Earth Specialist", Coran is Shady but Still Coran, Shiro and Adam Are Pining Disasters, Zarkon isn't Evil But He Isn't Completely Good, Kosmo Teleports Accidentally Alot, Keith Just Wants To Prove He Can Train Kosmo, Shiro is Trying His Best

Might as well start where the Lilo & stitch movie starts out, with the alien intro.

So Kosmo is a young cosmic wolf (cosmic puppy), a assumed extinct alien race that had been wiped out due to questionable motives.

Cosmic wolves weren't seen as their own race, they were seen as beasts and for their abilities, very dangerous ones.

So when a eccentric altean by the name of coran, who is already under surveillance for catching and handling dangerous beast illegally, is rumoured to have aquired a cosmic wolf the coilition is forced to take action against him.

So in front of the coilition leaders coran is brought with Kosmo and found guilty of catching and owning dangerous beasts.

And coran is sent to prison and Kosmo to containment.

Kosmo of course teleports out and escapes via escape pod. (Let's just assume he can understand and use tech)

In the mayhem he crash lands on earth and there is a limit to his teleportation at his age so he is stuck.

Zarkon(the coilition leaders, who isn't an evil emperor in this) realizes the wolf is stranded and calls for the planet to be destroyed.

Allura runs in to state the planet is a wildlife preserve for an endangerwd species and says it can't be destroyed.

Zarkon is miffed and decides to send her after the wolf then, she teams up with coran to go planet side.

\---+perspective change+-----

Nani and Lilo are switched with Shiro and Keith respectively.

Keith being Lilos age.

Shiro having been discharged from service struggling to keep jobs, and has custody of Keith.

Their parents passed away much earlier meaning Shiro was in service when they died and Keith spent time in custody alone before Shiro could return.

We get a brief view of Shiro and Keith's lives together, 

Keith at school -

Lance, Pidge and Hunk in their class, but the trio aren't really friends with Keith, more Lance leading the other two in bullying Keith (Lance not liking Keith, Pidge and Hunk not being mean, but not really reining Lance in)

Keith taking his frustration out at home making it difficult for Shiro to be supportive.

Shiro not being a good cook and the kitchen looking like a war zone as a result.

Keith having a floppy hippo plushie he carries around because it was a gift from their father.

Sanda being the CPS worker who visits and tells Shiro to get a job and fix the house up.

Keith and Shiro watching the stars together and seeing Kosmos ship as a shooting star.

Kosmo being mistaken as an earth dog somehow (tho that is easier to believe misunderstanding then actual stitch who had like SIX LEGS when he was found!)

Keith adopting Kosmo and no one questioning that a blue wolf puppy can teleport short distances and glow in the dark.

Keith not giving Kosmo and name because "he'll tell me his name when he is ready"

Shiro just writing Kosmo on the forms anyway while Keith pouts.

Allura and coran being completely unable to tranquilize Kosmo because he can teleport.

Adam doing that cool fire dancing thing.

Keith being done with Shiro and Adam being gay disasters.

Lance, Pidge and Hunk being freaked out by Kosmo.

Kosmo being slightly haphazard with his teleporting and making messes by accident, recreating many incidents from the movie.

Keith talking to Kosmo like he isn't an animal and Kosmo appreciating it.

Allura and Coran not being very good at navigating earth cultures and environments and making Zarkon impatient enough to send Sendak to capture Kosmo.

(No murder and torture and evil in this fic, bad guys are bad but not evil)

This basicly just follows the Lilo & stitch plot just a bit different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be honest, allura and coran could visit earth without anyone batting an eye, jumba and plekly? Not so much...
> 
> Also Kosmo actually could pass as a dog if you ignore some of his most alien features, stitch literally walks upright and has thumbs...
> 
> Thumbs...


	57. While we were away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The alteans escaped the destruction of altea,
> 
> But alot can change in ten thousand years.
> 
> Tags-  
> Altean/Galran War, Genocide, Refugees, Alteans Escape To Earth, Time Skip, Lost History, Forgotten History, Evolution, Adaptation, Humans Evolved From Alteans

It's simple, the citizens were ferried away from altean during the fall out of altea and Daizabaal.

They made it pretty far too, still in communication with altea through comms, til the comms went dead at alteas destruction.

The last message they got was "we lost the war, altea has fallen, run"

Leading the ferry to asylum was the blue paladin, opening a wormhole to a planet blue herself picked out.

It was a planet that was home to no race and great distance from any inhabited planet, they were safe here from the galra.

The blue lion was enshrined and hidden in the event the galra found their refuge.

Over time they settled down, through trial and error they learned how to survive on their new home.

Far different from their home of altea they learned "earth" was not merciful.

They learned the hard way of the tragedy natural disasters can bring.

Many of their settlements lacked the strength to endure, lives were lost.

Their tech soon failed without balmeran crystals, all the balmera too far to visit, too much of a risk to try.

They learned to live off the land without their tech.

They noticed over the centuries how their kinds was changing, so subtle it wasn't clear until one day more children were born without marks then with.

They clung to their roots tho, painting themselves, discovering the art of tattooing.

But the marks were just the first, next came shifting.

It became harder and harder, many could only shift their skin to darken as protection for the sins radiation.

It wasn't long til that ability became less of a controlled shift and more of the skins own reaction to the sun, some even lacked that reaction and simply burned bright painful red.

It wasn't long before they forgot their roots, they moved on, unknowing of their ancestors pain.

They changed and changed, 

Relearned language, over and over til there were so many and so varied

Relearned healing, but with plants and animals and crude knives

 

Relearned tech, but without crystals and quintessence.

They learned greed, learned hate, learned war

Wars became so great they were world wide, not once, not twice, but three great world wars were fought.

The last of which nearly destroyed all of them.

For ten thousand years to today, they are no longer alteans, they call themselves humans now.

And with their blindly reaching curiosity they find themselves back into a war their ancestors fled from long long ago.

Maybe this time they will stand a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The castle just happens to scan the paladins and accept them without further suspicion? 
> 
> I say the castle saw humans as altean.
> 
> Though
> 
> It would be kinda sad for Coran and Allura tho if they learned the alteans have changed so much, they aren't even altean anymore.


	58. Don't call me cute!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they said the house was haunted, 
> 
> This isn't really what lance expected...
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith&Lance, Ghost Keith, Possessed Doll, Haunted House, Cute Keith, Sceptic Lance

Simply,

Lance is given/inherited a big old house.

No one else wanted the house and Lance never questions why.

Lance was just really excited about getting a free mansion.

So he drives up with hunk to see the place and one of the neighbors stops him to give the "the house is cursed/haunted" warning.

This of course sets off hunks nerves but lance doesn't believe in the whole haunted thing.

So hunk just kinda drops lance off, lance assures hunk that he will be fine and will not get murdered by ghosts.

So lance is alittle put off with how much disrepair the mansion is in, but is staying positive. 

But turns out the mansion is haunted.

Keith is the ghost/demon who is haunting the mansion, he sees it as his home and doesn't want anyone to change it.

Most spirits don't have the power to affect the physical world, but Keith is quite powerful and can not only move and possess objects, he can project his voice!

Plot twist is he can only move things and project his voice when he possess something, also the only thing he can possess is a little stuffed animal.

So lance is haunted by a little stuffed animal.

(That's it that's the whole plot)

Keith tries to be serious and scary and chase lance away.

Lance isn't sure whether or not he is part of an elaborate reality show prank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized this would be alot funnier if hunk was the one that got inherited a mansion and was haunted by a stuffed toy instead of Lance.
> 
> Keith wouldn't have it in him to be mean to hunk and his haunting wouldnt have it in him to hurt hunk... 
> 
> +-------+
> 
> Keith [pouts] "..."
> 
> Hunk "aw, come on, buddy! It was scary I promise!"
> 
> Keith "...really?"
> 
> Hunk "of course! I was quaking in my boot!"
> 
> Keith [frowns]  
> "But you're not wearing boots hunk..."
> 
> Hunk "it's an expression"


	59. Where do your loyalties lie?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, the one where Keith basicly is welcomed on every side of the war for different reasons and lives in denial until everyone finds out.
> 
> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Blue Lion, Understanding Iverson, Red Lion, Shiro has PTSD, Quintessence Sensitive Keith, Obsessed Haggar, Stressed Keith, Canon Character Death, Racism, Obsessed Zarkon, Galra Druids, Galra Soldiers, Obsessed Lotor, Black Lion, Conflicted Keith, Confused Keith, Stalker Lotor, Quantum Abyss

Keith has a place in Voltron because of his connection with his lion and Shiro.

A place with the blade of marmora because of his mother's blade and his need to know where he came from.

A place with Lotor's generals because of his half-breed status and unsurety of what it means to be of two different heritage's.

A place with haggar's druids cause of his sensitivity to quintessence and immunity to it's influence.

A place among Zarkon's army for his vicious bold stunt of fighting Zarkon head on and taking down many others in combat earning the respect of the galra elite with his strength and lack of mercy.

Basicly everyone wants Keith.

And Keith has to decide where his loyalties lie.

Starting from when Shiro bailed him out and got him into the Garrison.

Hearing the blue lion calling from the desert and having to chose between staying at the Garrison worth Shiro and following the call.

At first he stays with Shiro, cause he wants that family connection he has lost with his father.

But Shiro leaves for Kerberos and Keith is feeling the lions call louder then ever.

Let's say in this one the Garrison really want Keith to stay for his piloting skills, to the point they even give him support after Shiro is reported dead in space.

But the call of the lion is strong enough that he drops out of his own choice, and the Garrison basicly tells him he is welcome back if he so chooses.

So Keith goes chasing the lion and eventually finds Shiro and is launched with the Garrison trio to space.

Shiro having just escaped and getting dragged back into the thick of it, is distant like he's wasn't before.

So Keith is holding onto the hope that Shiro is healing and things will return to how they were pre-kerberos if he is patient and supportive.

They train and Keith soon finds comfort in his bond with red which becomes more welcoming then his current relationship with Shiro.

They bond, they train, they fight.

Things start getting confusing tho, Keith learns that only galra DNA and Shiros arm can control galra tech...

But he remembers the airlock panel he activated to free the res lion and the control panel to seal the hanger in the balmeran.

His hand stains purple in his fight with the druid.

Keith becomes uncertain.

The druid in turn becomes curious.

a quintessence attack that would normally poison an opponent merely burns the paladin and exposure to raw quintessence heals the paladin instead of causing euphoria and addiction.

Haggar becomes curious.

All too soon they strike their raid on Central command to free Allura from the empire.

Keith spots Zarkon and attacks.

Zarkon says he fights like a galra...

Zarkon is impressed and intrigued.

But before Zarkon can subdue Keith and do anything with his curiousity, the solar barrier drops and the paladins escape.

In an effort to thwart their escape haggar trys to collapse the wormhole, only managing to corrupt it in her haste.

The paladins are separated.

Keith manages to save an injured Shiro who foolishly left the protective shelter of his lion on an unknown planet while physically compromised and was unsurprisingly attacked by the local wildlife.(you are the leader who constantly spouts about patience and focus, why you do that shiro)

After moving closer to the red lion and setting up shelter Shiro informs Keith he wishes for him to take the mantle in the event something happens to him.

Keith is predictably distressed by this, the thought of losing Shiro again was the furthest thing from his mind as of late.(more worried about maybe being galra)

He already feels like he is losing Shiro even though he isn't far away, their bond is strained from there personal worries and fears.

Keith responds with denial and a wormhole opens to the green lion signalling their rescue.

Reunited and healing the paladins rest.

But the rest does not last, upon waking Shiro reveals his lost memories of his escape have returned due to the shock of his injury and healing.

He was rescued by a galran soldier.

Allura responds with suspicion, the Garrison trio with uncertainty and Keith with surprise.

After some debate they follow the trail left by the galra Ulaz in shiro's arm.

And the ship is infiltrated.

The intruder turns out to be Ulaz himself, suspicious of the incoming vessel and sneaking on the gauge intentions.

Allura makes her stance on galra clear, but backs down with the insistance of her paladins.

Upon revealing his blade Keith is struck by the familiar symbol.

Ulaz reveal the blade as ceremonial to the blade of marmora and that all members have one.

Keith is finding it harder to stay in denial.

Unbeknownst to anyone Ulaz saw Keith's knife during their scuffle and recognized it as krolia's from the shape alone.

Ulaz is unable to confront Keith alone due to the sudden robeast attack.

Ulaz sacrifices himself to the shock of everyone.

In the aftermath Keith feels alienated by Allura's lack of empathy towards Ulaz's sacrifice.

They continue on their way, now with the heavy knowledge they are being tracked.

On and on they go and no matter how far they go and what path they choose, Zarkon finds them.

Its a physical weight, exhaustion and anxiety.

Allura and Keith even act rashly in an attempt to find answers to how it keeps happening.

Withh the knowledge it is the black lion the anxiety grows.

One bad jump and their wormhole generator fails.

They need new scaultrite lenses.

They find themselves in a swap moon that looks eerily like a regular shopping mall.

They split up.

Keith spots of knife sales man, but before he can move closer he is stopped by another mall goer.

They slip something into his hand as they pass, a note.

Keith is thoroughly distracted from the knife booth at this point.

He stashes the illegible note into one of his waist pouches and moves on, eventually meeting back up with the other and hitching a hover cow ride out of the mall.

Returning Shiro informs them of his bonding session and coran leaves to install the lenses he bartered.

Keith makes his way to the castle library, the note is in a language that is both foriegn and familiar to Keith.

In the coming days he spends his free time looking for a way to translate it, instinctively he knows not to ask the others to help.

The red lion who share a mental bond is the only one who notices Keith's unbalanced state.

But Keith spends his lion bonding time in the library as well when red makes it clear she won't asist.

Before Keith can find the mystery language they arrive to the blade headquarters.

A giant blue star between two black holes.

Shiro and Keith go in alone.

Keith brings his knife, hidden in his suit, for answers.

They notice the knife immediately and pin Keith to confiscate it.

Keith not on to back down, refuses to surrender until he has answers, he agrees to the trials.

He fights the blades, as more and more are thrown at him and til he figures out that he wasn't meant to go through that door.

He is confronted with Shiros hologram and devistated by his abandonment.

A new hologram is presented to him, of his father.

His father telling him his mother is coming home, Keith is presented with the blade and told she will be home soon.

The symbol eerily tugging at his mind, before he hears empire battleships decending upon the Earth.

His father gives him a choice.

He chooses to fight.

He wakes to shiro and the blades and a glowing sword.

The return is silent with the knowledge that Keith carries of his heritage.

The blades haven't said much, but they are silently intrigued by the alien looking paladin, kolivan himself considering how much of an asset Keith can be to the blade.

They arrive at the castle without issue and are confronted with the Garrison trio and alteans waiting in the hangar.

Shiro is silent as Keith reveals the news.(something Keith is both greatful for and unsettled by)

The trio unsettled and confused but the news.

Allura goes cold and distant.

Keith feels alone in the hangar.

Shiro remains silent.

The atmosphere doesn't lift until they move to the briefing room, Allura taking charge with a diplomatic tone.

Keith stands off to the side quietly processing the major shift.

Plans are made, the paladins are to split up to different missions.

Keith stays back as to avoid the others on their way to prepare and is confronted by kolivan.

Surprised and intimidated he tries not to let it show.

Kolivan simply let's Keith know he has a place among the blade if he so chooses and that they would willing to teach him of his heritage.

Keith is surprised and takes his time to answer, going so far as to look ahead in the corridor at the backs of the leaving paladins.

He chooses to hold out on his answer and kolivan accepts telling Keith he will have a place waiting should he choose to join.

Keith considers it, knowing about his mother's heritage, about who she was and why she left.

He also considers his place as the red paladin, a place he is starting to feel is someplace he can belong.

Even when his mind whispers about how they reacted to learning hair heritage.

Distant.

Uncertain.

Cold.

He pushes it far from his mind and prepares for his mission.

Boarded onto the yellow lion and sent off with a cold shoulder from Allura their mission begins.

With addition of hunk's insensitive comments, the mission starts of on a bad note.

Turns out getting scaultrite from a weblum isn't going to be easy.

With the instructional video corrupted and nearly getting obliterated by the weblums mouth cannon, it is rough start.

They make it inside and find the first stomach immediately, they also find the immune system.

Splitting up worth the promise of meeting at their destination Keith dives intot he stomach acid and finds himself in another part of the gut.

Landing on what first was assumed to be a growth turned out to be a ship of some sort, and within Keith encounters a living person.

Acting immediately Keith frees them before discovering they are galra, to which he goes on to the defensive.

A reemergance of the weblums immune system has them forming a temporary truce.

When they meet up with Hunk and hunk makes the offhand comment that all galras are buddies the galra discovers Keith has galra blood.

Acxa being a half-breed general and in the debt of the paladin in red, learning said paladin is also a half-breed catches her attention.

But she has a mission to complete, when the yellow paladin leaves to activate the weblums mouth cannon and they collect the scaultrite she makes her move.

She spares him, as a courtesy for saving her and leaves him with a few parting words, that should he ever lose his way he should seek out Lotor.

Keith do course has no idea who lotor is, and asks her what she means.

She of course says some thing cryptic about half-breeds and belonging and leaves.

Hunk returns, they gather the scaultrite and return to the lion.

Keith is quiet most of the way.

One robeast fight later and they are back at the castle fore downtime.

Keith is back at the library, the note had slipped his mind with everything going on, but after spotting some galran text from the blades consoles he has an epiphany.

The note is in galran.

And Pidge installed a galran text translator into the castle.

The note, turns out to be coordinates, unfortunately Keith can't exactly go off anywhere alone, especially not in the red lion.

It feels like a dead end.

Til the final confrontation.

The battle is won, but not without casualties.

The medbay is crowded with injured blades and rebels.

And most pressing, Shiro is missing.

The team is lost in what to do.

Keith takes things into his own hands and searches, day and night.

On and on.

Til he gets desperate.

The note comes to mind, red is suspicious, but Keith is determined to do anything not to lose his brother again.

The coordinates lead to an uninhabited planet much to Keith's confusion, more specifically the planets moon.

When Keith gets there, there is a simple outpost, quiet and unassuming.

Upon leaving his lion the outpost opens to reveal a galran commander, but not one Keith has seen before.

Keith takes offence and strikes out with his bayard the commander responds in kind.

Keith is eventually subdued and pinned much to his dismay and panic.

But to his surprise the commander doesn't go in for the kill, he releases him.

Keith takes his distance as the commander laughs good naturedly, something that doesn't seem real with how Keith's encounters with the galra have gone so far.

The commander commends Keith for the fight and tells him Zarkon will be pleased.

Keith bristles, because Zarkon is dead, they beat him, they won, they had to have won, or Shiro had vanished for nothing.

Keith of course states his denial and hatred.

And the commander just shakes his head, telling Keith that Zarkon may have lost but he can never die.

Keith is unsettled greatly by this and asks what the commander wants, why he got the note.

He is simply told, Zarkon is very interested in your growth paladin, that kind of potential is always welcomed in the empire.

Keith physically back away as if distance can separate him from what that implies, the implications that the empire has person interest in him.

The commander laughs again and says, Zarkon will return and when he returns he will be waiting.

Keith flees.

He tells no one.

Even though they can see something weighing down on him, they assume he is coming to terms with the possibility that Shiro is dead.

Keith is worn down by it all when allura gathers them for a coilition meeting, taking out his frustrations on the court before him when they demand to see Voltron.

He storms out.

Keith knows what comes next.

And it does, a new black paladin.

Keith is the one black chooses, he can feel red torn from his mind when black awakens, it leaves him feeling torn.

The bond with black newer, weaker, distant, in comparison to reds protective and motherly presence.

Lances bond with red clicks immediately, and Keith sees it, red opened immediately for Lance, while Keith had to fight for her connection.

Allura takes blue with less certainty then lance to red.

It is unstable and uncertain, but the team begins to accept their new roles.

And then they met Lotor, Keith freezing at the mention of his name.

If you should ever lose your way, seek out Lotor.

The galran prince.

The half-breed prince.

Keith surprised by this, does what he is best at, putting on the back burner of denial and lash out with a vengeance.

The battle goes terribly.

Keith falls right into Lotor's trap and the paladins are separated.

Lotor uses this time to contact Keith directly, seeming surprised that he is in the black lion.(Lotor expected Shiro)

But Lotor takes it in stride and greets Keith pleasantly with, ah the half-breed paladin, this is quite a surprise isnt it. I was told you were the paladin of the red lion, seems my sources were wrong.

Keith takes offence at being reminded that Shiro is no longer around and says bitterly, let me guess, you wanna be all buddy buddy? Want me to join your little band of generals because I am part galra too?

Lotor laughs pleasantly at Keith's bite responding lightly in turn, it seems you are not quite ready then, I suppose I can be patient paladin, we will meet again.

Then Lotor just flies off much to Keith's frustration.

The paladins reconvene and recuperate.

Keith is finding it harder to ignore the amount of invitations he is getting from everywhere.

He doesn't know who to turn to, the black lion is less responsive then red when it comes to this sort of thing, black seems to let him stew on his thoughts endlessly.

And with Shiro gone.

Keith can't remember the last time him and Shiro took time to check up on each other.

Was it before Kerberos?

Keith is starting to feel lost.

The invitation from lotor floats in to the forefront of his mind before he dismisses it, he isn't that lost.

He has more important things to be concerned with now as the black paladin.

(My thought train ends here sorry)  
(From here the story goes kinda like)

At some point after Shiros return, Keith begins to wonder why he stays with Voltron and leaves for the blade.

Runs into Lotor a bunch with castle/blade meetings after lotor joins Voltron.

Some rogue commanders carry on Zarkons curiosity with Keith, their motives are alittle more selfish then just wanting a loyal soldier as Zarkon wanted.

Keith finds himself more often then not helped by rogue commanders, like they will attack other rogues who threaten Keith or let him escape when he infiltrates their ships.

Keith starts getting ambushed by druids randomly, because haggar wants to kidnap him to see how he ticks, what about his hybrid DNA makes him the way he is.

Keith disappearing into the quantum abyss with his mother and everyone just kinda noticing his blaring absence.

And they start noticing many attacks and assistances were due to Keith being on a mission.

They even get random comments from time to time, like a druid demanding to know where the half-breed is or a commander verbally noting the half-breed is not with them.

So Keith comes back and contacts the castle worth his wolf and mother and altea hitchhiker.

(And that's all I got, cause I wrote this instead of sleeping)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basicly everyone asks Keith to choose and Keith just says "Not now" until it all unravels into a big mess.
> 
> Everyone loves you Keith and you are too stubborn to realize it!!!


	60. Isle of flightless birds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith&Shiro, Dragon Keith, Implied/Referenced Animal Death, Midevil Militia Scientists, Dragons, Patient Shiro, Lonely Keith

Keith is a half human, half dragon.

Being part human makes him smaller then fullblood dragons, his wings are too small so he can't fly, he can barely glide.

His scales aren't fire proof like a fullblood dragon, and as a result he fear his own fire.

The clan he was born into, the marmora, doesn't discriminate, but they don't give him special treatment.

He is left behind on migrations, not out of cruelty, but from the simple fact he can't fly and follow.

He distances himself from the rest of the clan cause they aren't cautious with fire around him, which is how he learned his scales would not protect him from fire.

His mother was a dragon, while his father human.

His mother vanish shortly after he was born, he father stayed with the clan to watch over Keith, but humans don't live as long as dragons and Keith was left alone.

Ophaned young are still welcomed and protected by the clan, but they aren't adopted by other dragons, they are left to raise themselves.

So Keith has come to expect fending for himself and be alone and untrusting.

He also has become used to spending the migration season alone in the cold mountain ranges that the clan calls home for half the year.

What he doesn't expect is for the clan to not return one year.

He has never done left the mountains because he cannot fly and the land below the mountains is infested with humans.

Humans hunt stray dragons because their scales, bones and leather is worth alot of gold.

So Keith is stuck waiting.

One year becomes two, which becomes three and four.

Keith begins to realize that even tho he wasn't close with his clan he misses their presence.

At the begining of the fifth year something changes.

A human comes.

It's Shiro, who traveled to the mountain for some unknown reason.

The height at which the dragons stay is no easy feat for a human to reach, they stay within a valley surrounded by high mountain peaks.

Shiro stumbles upon the valley completely on accident.

Keith hides inside one of the cave systems that the rim around the valley holds.

But Shiro is all camped out and comfy in the valley, he even set up a makeshift shelter.

So Keith sneaks around trying to avoid Shiro while still hunting the goats and other animals to eat, and Shiro finds the evidence that something lives in the valley, something bigger then a fox or even a wolf.

So Shiro is on gaurd and Keith is on gaurd and they both try to avoid each other.

They get careless tho, well Keith gets careless, he lets his gaurd down and settles by the lake for a drink and Shiro spots him and is in awe.

Cause like Keith is a shiney ebony dragon, and dragons are cool.

Keith runs away when he notices Shiro, and Shiro wonders why he didn't fly away, also wonders why he is small and assumes he is still young.

So Shiro starts seeking Keith out and trying to make nice, and Keith doesn't trust Shiro cause all he knows about humans is they hunt dragons.

So eventually Shiro makes tentative friends with Keith, basically Keith just doesn't run away from him much anymore cause he notices Shiro isn't trying to kill him.

Keith doesn't get close to Shiro, he just doesn't avoid or run away anymore.

And it is at this point Shiro realizes Keith can't fly, he notices his wings are too small.

Shiro doesn't say anything to Keith about it, but he doesn talk when he notices Keith around.

Shiro doesn't know Keith can understand him and is just talking to make nice, Keith is less suspicious after awhile.

Shiro spends five months in the valley before planning to leave, he offhandedly says he has to leave soon when he spots Keith nearby.

Keith of course started to get fond of Shiros company.

He doesn't want to admit to a human he is lonely, but he makes a point to stay within sight of Shiro after he learns Shiro is planning to leave.

Shiro notices how Keith starts to hang around more.

A week and a half later Shiro is packed up to head back down the mountain and Keith hasn't left his sight not once in that time.

Shiro assumes Keith will go back and stay on the mountain when he gets to the rim of the valley and is surprised when Keith keeps following at a distance.

Keith is afraid to be alone again.

Shiro stops and turn back to Keith and Keith lets him til he gets closer and Keith backs away to keep some distance.

Shiro tells Keith that he can't come with him down the mountain cause dragons wouldn't be welcomed kindly.

Keith stands his ground silently.

Shiro then tells Keith he will be back next year, and makes sure to promise as much.

Keith hesitates before approaching and staring intimidatingly at Shiro and then head butting him lightly and turning back to the valley.

(Shiro probably feels like he earned the trust of a cat.)

So Keith sulks for alone and worried Shiro won't come back.

But Shiro does come back.

And Keith is there to greet him from a distance, still silent.

The next year just like he promised, and he returns the next two following years.

It's takes three years for Keith to speak to Shiro.

In that time he learned alot about Shiro.

That he belonged to a 'clan' of explorers and 'scientists'. (Keith uses the word clan to describe the the Garrison cause he doesn't understand military and schools)

The Garrison in this AU is a college of militant scientists, basicly the scientists learn both science and fighting so they can gather information from the field instead of hiring a ton of gaurds to go with them.

Keith learns there are many kinds of humans, and that hunters only make up very few of them.

He learns that Shiro first visited the valley because he is studying dragons and this mountain range is recorded to be dragon territory that was only deemed safe now that dragon sightings have stopped.

This makes Keith both miss his clan, and curious if the humans know where his clan went.

Keith comes to trust Shiro enough to let his gaurd completely down.

Resting around him and even sleeping next to him.

Hunting for him, showing him the various abandoned lairs, old egg shells from hatchlings long gone, his own nest and other dragon stuff.

Keith finally speaks to shiro during the third year.

Shiro had come to the mountain with two humans in toe.

Keith had been waiting at the entrance to the valley and perked up upon spotting Shiro only bristle at the sight of other humans.

Instead of running to meet Shiro like he would have done had Shiro been alone he gives Shiro and company a large berth putting himself on gaurd.

The other humans turn out to be Matt and Sam Holt, and they are very excitable much to Keith's dismay.

Keith goes so far at to react aggressively whenever they try to close the distance.

Matt and Sam are thrilled regardless, cause Keith is a dragon and that's why they came.

Unlike Shiro they are less careful about how they speak around Keith, tending to speak about him among themselves instead of to him, kinda of making the assumption Keith is an animal incapable of understanding them.

It only makes Keith more agressive and more often then not he will stay far away from the group hiding.

During one of the times he is unable to avoid the group, Matt and Sam bring up how different Keith is from other dragon sightings, pointing out his size and his useless wings.

One of them uses the word 'runt' and mentions how Keith was probably left behind by his clan because of it or similar and it sets Keith off.

Keith basicly charges at them all snarling teeth and Shiro runs between Keith and the holts.

Keith only stops cause he likes Shiro, but he still makes the point of trying to get around Shiro to scare them

So dragons can't talk verbally, they don't have the vocal cords, but they can direct telepathy to those they choose when they are within range.

So basicly the first thing Keith says to Shiro is a warning, like, I will spare them only because you wish it.

And then Keith just walks away leaving Shiro frozen and the holts in shock.

The holts don't take it personal and kinda get all excited about dragon agression and speed, completely unconcerned about how they are almost mauled.

Shiro is trying to decide if Keith actually spoke or if he imagined it.

He decides he didn't imagine it later when the holts and him settle down and camp for the night.

So Shiro splits up for the holts the next day to find Keith.

Which isn't hard cause the second Keith realises Shiro is alone he comes out of hiding.

Shiro basicly says something along the lines of, you can talk?

And Keith just huff out something like a laugh and says, no, I do not speak as you humans do.

Shiro is kinda feeling validated he didn't hallucinate Keith talking.

Keith circles Shiro squinting at him and not quite forgiving him for bringing the holts with him.

Shiro kinda talks for both of them cause Keith likes to be silent.

Shiro tells him about the holts, about how the holts were studying the dragons migration and when they learned of Shiro's research and wanted to see for themselves.

This makes Keith sulk.

Afterwards Shiro meets up alone with Keith whenever he isn't helping the holts with their research or helping with hunting or camping.

Keith starts hunting for the group reluctantly when he realizes it will give Shiro more free time.

He makes a point to growl at the holts and pointedly drop the animals at Shiros feet.

The holts are just excited about recording the behaviour in their notes.

Shiro finally learns Keith's name.

He had asked after learning Keith could talk and decided to let Keith tell him when he is ready after he failed to get a response.

Shiro is surprised about Keith having a human name but says nothing about it.

Shiro doesn't give up on getting Keith to befriend the holts, but Keith is stubborn.

By the end of the humans expedition Keith has gone from visably agressive towards the holts to tolerant, Shiro is just glad Keith won't kill them.

Keith sees them off, even going as far as the give Shiro a goodbye head butt, while side eyeing the holts daring them to make a move.

(That's all I got for now, might add more parts later one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday keef :D


	61. Wolf child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate raised in space AU
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith&Kosmo, Canon Character Death (Keith's father), Raised By Wolves, Quantum Abyss, Prophetic Visions, Psychic Keith, Big Brother Kosmo, Galra Keith, White Lion

When it becomes clear Krolia cannot stay on earth anymore without risking the safety of her son and lover she prepares for a sorrowful fairwell.

Papa kogane has a different plan though, he isn't staying behind and neither is Keith.

But they can't join the war, it's too dangerous for Keith, he is still a baby.

So Krolia takes a detour on the way back to the blade headquarters.

The quantum abyss, which is found completely by accident.

They don't target a space whale for habitation though, there are small habitable pockets hidden deep into he abyss.

Let's just assume Krolia is very knowledgeable about the abyss.

So basicly Keith and Pop are left to hide in the abyss til Keith grows up to protect him from the war.

And krolia leaves the abyss and goes back to the blade.

So papa kogane and baby Keith are all alone.

Time is still warped in the abyss, years pass as mere months outside.

But the koganes inside don't know this.

Time passes, and it's not quite obvious at first, with the lack of calenders and all, but Keith is aging slower then a human should.

It shouldn't be surprising though, since galran life spans last near millennia.

But papa kogane does not know this...

So he has no idea why he is growing old and Keith is barely growing up.

It gets harder to forage and maintain the makeshift farm and shack as time goes by.

Papa koganes reflexes aren't what they used to be, neither is his strength.

Keith is but a toddler at the age of fifteen, and his father is getting older at a rate he can't begin to comprehend.

Keith stays behind at the shack helping with the farm doing his chores like always.

He isn't allowed to leave the farm or help with dangerous tasks but he is still glad to help when he notices his father getting tired.

The chores are simple weeding and cleanup, they keep him busy while his father is off hunting and foraging.

When Keith finishes before his father gets back he doesn't think much of it, his father always comes back, sooner of later.

He harvests some of the lower fruits and vegetables for dinner and brings them in the shack.

He waits awhile out on the porch before getting board and going inside to play with his letters and maths. 

Educational toys papa kogane made since there is no school, he isn't at the level of a normal fifteen year old because of his age confusion.

Papa kogane spent alot of time panicking about Keith's growth before realizing he isn't stunting he is just growing slower.

So his education was delayed.

Also Keith has the attention span of a toddler when it comes to learning more complicated things then a toddler can comprehend.

So yeah.

Papa kogane doesn't come home that night, Keith just eats some of the food he harvested raw before falling asleep waiting for him to come home.

He never comes home...

It takes a while for Keith to realize it.

He only really understands when he notices the subtle upkeep from his father is starting to build up.

The logs beside the shed remain unsplit, the firewood stores run out, small repairs remain unfixed, the field starts getting overwhelmed by weeds, the holes the animals make in the fences get bigger and are never blocked off... Little things ..

It's only when the food and supplies are stolen completely that Keith realizes his father isn't coming back.

He stays and waits anyway.

Even when he starts to get more and more hungry.

Even when he starts to get more and more cold.

Even when he starts to get more and more lonely.

When he starts to miss the mother he has never known, that his father spoke about on long evenings when sleep evaded them both.

A mother who could come and bring his father back and fix what he can't fix alone.

But no one comes.

On one particular night when the hunger has caused sleep to evade Keith and he Huddle's up in his father's room with all the furs and blankets to keep warm, something stumbles upon the shack.

Alot of somethings.

Lights flashing blue as the Intruders flit around the farm and shack.

Keith of course hides for whatever they are.

He hears the light thumps of foot falls in the dirt, so many, too many of them.

He hears the panting of their harsh breaths and lights growls.

He can see the flickering flashing lights like faint strobes through the windows bathing the room in lights.

Soon the Intruders find their way inside.

And Keith is terrified.

They stumble and tears through everything in the few rooms of the shack.

Keith can't tell how many their are with how many feet he seems to hear, their is the distinct clacking of claws as well along the hardwood floors.

It doesn't take long for whatever they are to find Keith.

That's when Keith gets a good look at them.

Huge wolves the color of space itself, with bright blue glowing coats.

There is only one in the room he is in, and it fills up so much space.

He can still hear the other moving in the other room from where he is frozen in place.

He expects the wolf to eat him, devour him in a single bite, but the wolf doesn't.

The wolf sniffs him and investigates him before trying to get him to move.

But being to hungry for too long Keith can't.

So the wolf scruffs him by the back of his shirt and suddenly he isn't in his father's room anymore, he is outside on the run down farm, surrounded by space wolves!

The wolf somehow moved instantly, without moving at all.

It doesn't take long for Keith to realize he isn't going to be eaten, he is be protected in a way, the large wolf holding him growls at any that try to get close to him.

He has been adopted by a space wolf.

So basicly Keith gets adopted by the pack and raised along with their only other cub, Kosmo!

Kosmo acts as a big brother for Keith for a long time, cause he grows up faster.

Keith starts to take on galra feature really young as a survival adaptation to help thrive with the pack of wolves.

He gets fur, fangs, claws, glowing eyes, pointy ears, the works.

Keith stumbles after Kosmo for most of his childhood, which lasts for nearly forty years(but Keith doesn't have a calendar he is living with wolves :p)

He can't talk with the wolves like he did with his father, they don't communicate with words, their language is more feral, growls, barks and howls.

Keith starts speaking that way as well, with the help of his galra vocal cords and practice.

At this point Keith has lived in the quantum abyss for fifty years and he has nearly entirely forgotten about his parents.

He has vague memories of a parent who would care for him, but he doesn't remember them or who they were.

But he knows there is something beyond the patches of habitation him and the pack teleport between.

He has visions, he can't remember when they started, just that they were always there.

Vision of places that couldn't possibly be the abyss.

Places with earth smoother and flatter then any stone, places with walls, closed off yet still lit brightly.

People, people like him with purple fur and yellow eyes, cruel people, cold people, kind people, warm people.

People with no fur at all, strangely earth colored, browns and tans, pale and not, angry people, sad people, bright people.

Space vast, so vast that even the oldest of the wolves can't travel from one side to the other, where beasts of metal fight and fly.

He is in the visions too, he will be there, he knows somehow it will not be long, he will have to leave the pack.

He doesn't say as much, but he can tell the pack knows it.

Kosmo is especially stubborn about staying with Keith as of late, maybe he knows it is soon too.

Turns out it is soon.

The pack has yet to wake when Keith feels it.

Buzzing, like the air is made of static, similar to the feeling of his pack, but stronger.

Keith attempts to sneak out without waking anyone but Kosmo is a light sleeper and doesn't plan on lettingkeith out of his sight.

Leaving the den Kosmo follows Keith as he makes he way to the clearing as though seeking something.

And something there is, a ethereal lion of white light stands large as Kosmo and many times as bright.

Keith knows at this moment it is time to leave for the universe beyond the abyss.

Kosmo does too, but he doesn't plan on letting Keith go alone, there is no way he is leaving his baby brother alone.

They follow the lion together, even as the clearing around them warps from a field of shoulder high vegitation to a field of lights.

The lion leads them til the light melts away in a burst of hot air and sand.

They arrive at a desert, stretched as far as the horizon in every direction, decorated only with cliffs and rock formations and not a tree in sight.

Both Keith and Kosmo are shell shocked.

Everything about this is new, even with the visions Keith experienced.

The burning heat of the star far too close for comfort, how the sand burns their tough paws even through their calluses.

The air feels as dry as the land feels, it's overwhelming.

After taking in everything Keith turns to confront the lion only to find them gone.

Kosmo takes this as a sign they have been pranked and growls as much under his breath before choosing a direction to teleport them.

Keith doesn't really argue, laying his clawed hand in Kosmos scruff so they can both teleport.

Some blind teleportation and endless hiking later and they find some caves to hide in for the blazing ball of fire in the sky.

It's in the cave that Keith first feels it.

The humming, almost like the buzz of the white lion, but cooler, more refreshing, like water.

Keith stands from where he was resting and Kosmo grumbles asking where he is going.

Keith growls lightly about water and Kosmos stands to follow.

Deeper into the cave is drawings, carved right into the rock and painted, drawings of lions and stories.

Kosmo squints at them, still bitter at the white lions for not explaining anything.

He barks out to Keith asking him where he smelled water, as he can't smell it.

Keith just lets out a distracted bark about not smelling it, feeling it.

Kosmo makes a point to follow more closely, taking Keith's words to mean another lion might show up and drop them in an ocean or something.

They reach a dead end sooner then expected and Keith inspects the walls more closely.

Upon touching them they glow and he gets another vision, different then the vague promises he usually sees.

He sees a rock formations, several like they are mapingg out directions, leading to empty desert, leading to a house overrun by sand and dust, to a cave flowing with water.

He sees something, bright, burning, falling from the sky, falling towards the desert.

He hears a voice like water, the voice pleasing him to search, to seek out the falling star, to search for the water, urgent and insistant.

And just as quickly as it came the vision is ripped away, causing Keith to jerk awya from the wall bumping into Kosmo.

Kosmo who has been whining since he froze, asking if he was okay, if he could hear him.

They both realize it is very different then his normal visions, and it most likely has to do with these lions.

Keith whines quietly to Kosmo, assuring him he is okay.

Keith tries his best to explain when he saw, the rock formations still burning into the backs of his eye lids, it feel important.

They return to the entrance to the cave and discuss what they know as best as they can and try to figure out what to do next.

Kosmo decides food is next, as they haven't eaten or drank anything since they woke up that morning and came to this place.

Keith reluctantly agreed, even tho he wants to find the rock formations and the falling star.

So through some trial and error they find a beast that looks like a tiny space wolf, except it's brown and grey and really scrawny. (It's a coyote)

Keith is slightly disappointed it was so easy to take down, didn't even teleport or spit acid of even have barbed thorns.

They split the beast and finish it before the closet star leaves the sky, the heat finally abating.

The star slowly approaching to horizon sets off that urgency from earlier, the rock formations flashing before Keith's vision again.

Keith stands abruptly startling Kosmo, who grumbles, I'm still digesting!

Keith of course ignores Kosmos complaint and tells Kosmo they have to go now.

Kosmo complains more but relents without a fight.

With Keith leading the way Kosmo teleports them from rock formation to rock formation til the see the empty desert from Keith vision.

Keith clenches Kosmos fur while he looks to the sky practically vibrating in his skin.

Kosmo is still worried about all this but does his best to umble soothingly to his brother as best as he can.

It feels like an eternity, but soon the star falls.

Seemingly in slow motion at first, seeming to tear right through the sky, barreling to the desert.

Keith leaps from the rock formation without even considering teleporting before Kosmos knows what's happening he is racing after him.

Keith finally takes Kosmos cue and they teleport to where the metal insects seemed to swarm the star from no where, fluttering where they don't belong.

It's pure instinct that has Keith tears into the exoskeletons of the strange contraptions in passing, it feels like the right thing to do in the moment.

Taking Kosmos scruff as he teleports him around the nest of whatever has gathered at the stars remains.

The contraptions seem to ignite and explode in succession, Keith must have struck something vital.

The people move from the nest to investigate the explosion, giving Keith and Kosmo the opportunity to infiltrate.

Inside more of the people remain around a incompacitated pale being.

Keith and Kosmo have no trouble knocking them out before going to the restrained being.

Upon seeing their face Keith sucks in a sharp breath, Shiro, a person familiar to Keith.

He has heard that name and seen that face many times in his visions growing up, Shiro was important, this is important.

They have to get him out of here.

After severing the binds with his claws he hears reinforcements arrive, him and Kosmo turn ready to engage.

Three peopl stand there.

Familiar.

Like Shiro.

He knows them.

They are apprehensive and suspicious of him at first but soon they all agree it is best to leave now and ask questions later.

Even if Keith hasnt exactly answered their questions or said anything.

They hitch a ride in one of the metal contraptions similar to the ones Keith destroyed earlier and race away.

The loud one, Lance, as Keith's memory supplies, takes the wheel and speeds away into the desert.

Keith quickly realizes he is going the wrong way, the rock formations are all wrong.

Keith doesn't hesitate to throw lance into the back seat and onto the big ones lap.

Hunk, hunk is the big one.

It feels strange to Keith to know of these people but to have never met them.

He barks to Kosmo, who is very aware about his baby brothers visions but also kinda overwhelmed to be living them, tells him to keep his eye on the other metal beasts.

The other people, Humans, they are called humans, are currently freaking out in the back seats of the car.

Kosmo had teleported to the front seat, startling them further, so he could get a better view by sticking his head out of the opening of the contraption.

Kosmo and Keith bark and growl back and forth to each other the whole ride much to the confusion and apprehension of the humans.

But they finally make it to the house in the desert without any tails.(well if you don't count Kosmos tail)

And Shiro gets settled on a dusty bed while the other humans poke around and gawks at Keith and Kosmo.

Keith is kinda offended by this, as he feels he should be the one gawking, Kosmo is just amused.

So Keith cautiously stands before them now as they rapid fire questions without so much as giving him a second to respond.

Before long they give up on answers and just argue amongst themselves to Keith's annoyance.

Kosmo snorts reminding the humans of his presence, and the questions start again, this time less about who/what Keith is more about if Kosmo with bite them.

Both Kosmo and Keith snort at that, causing lance to mumble something Keith feels he should be offended by.

Keith ignores it and answers withh a simple, my brother won't bite you, you probably taste awful.

To which lance takes offence and Pidge quickly draws the topic back before it derails.

Keith hasn't spoken English in a very long time, and back then he wasn't fluent yet, most of what he learned of the language is from his visions growing up.

So he has an accent, a growly one.

Keith gives them the basic answers as he knows them.

Who are you? I am Keith

What are you? I am Keith?  
(he doesn't know that they meant species)

Where did you come from? Followed the white lion, through the light, and then I was here.

How did you know to save Shiro? How do you know Shiro? Ect

He doesn't really know how to explain his visions so he just kinda gets confused and closed off and Kosmo growls at them for pushing him.

The trio are confused by the who "brothers" thing but they don't ask about it, they don't know if Keith is being honest and they don't know how to feel about him.

He is technically an alien who can out of nowhere with a cosmic wolf that could easily outweigh a bear.

Shiro wakes up and recognizes Keith as galra immediately.

Shiro would have attacked if Kosmo didn't get between them and knock Shiro off balance.

Shiro learns Keith saved him.

Keith has no idea about the war, he has had visions about the galra, both good and bad, he knows some are bad, but he also knows some are good.

But he never had visions in enough detail to know there is a war going on and it is with an empire made of evil galra.

Shiro is better at reading Keith then the Garrison trio, cause Shiro is a dog person.(cause I said so)

So Shiro makes the decision to give Keith a chance and not to judge him for being galra right away.

The trio follow along Shiros lead of trusting Keith, tho they are as eager about it as Shiro.

Pidge is very suspicious of Keith after learning galra took the Kerberos crew, and they desperately wants some sort of lead of finding them.

So after sleeping off the mess of a first meeting Keith is eager to find the water cave from his vision.

He and Kosmo are awake before everyone else and they go off on a morning hunt and snag two more coyotes.

He learns they are coyotes when he is bringing the kills back and finds Shiro awake outside the house staring at the star rising over the horizon.

Shiro is kinda shocked but really feels he shouldn't be surprised by the alien boy when he learns that he plans on eating the meat raw.

Much to Keith's dismay while Kosmo smugly munches on the coyote he caught, Shiro has confiscated his with the excuse he has to 'cook' it.

Keith pouts at his brothers smug face and jogs after Shiro to get his coyote back.

Of course the trio are awake by then.

Lance is appalled their is a dead animal in Shiros hands and why it's INSIDE the house.

Pidge is partly disgusted and partly curious as to what is going on.

Hunk is queasy and slightly green, but quickly composes himself when he learns Keith was planning on eating raw coyote.

It takes longer the Keith would have liked to 'prep' the wood stove and 'prepare' the meat, by the time he is presented with the food he is ravenous.

What they put in front of him looks and smells nothing like the coyote he caught and he is slightly offended by the size of the portion, of the entire coyote he was presented with barely a leg.

Keith growls as much under he breath as he takes a bite, he quickly perks up at how different, better, it tastes now that it is 'cooked'.

He devours it in seconds and looks to hunk for more.

Hunk hesitates before gladly providingg more.

Kosmo has long finished his meal by the times Keith has finished his whole coyote, the 'prep' taking up a good chunk of the morning.

Lance is slightly pale as he stares into the small kitchen and mutters, he ate the whole thing.

Pidge is on their computer muttering about xenobiologies and such

So they eventually move on from Keith's inhuman appetit and back to the matter at hand, finding whatever Voltron is.

Science talk comes up and Keith gets a peek of pidges graph of the Voltron frequency, the visions of rock formations burning into his vision immediately.

They soon find themselves in a cave, the same one Keith and Kosmo first found themselves in when they arrived here, Kosmo mentions as much even though only Keith can understand him.

The cave draw seem to come to life and glow, Keith's eyes widening as he turns his head to catch Lance's hand on one of the drawings before they all drop into the floor.

The water slide takes the to a cavern of water, the same one from Keith's vision.

And standing before them is a lion made of metal, that towers above them all, even Kosmo is taken aback by the sheer might and size of it.

After some pondering of how to get through the barrier lance knocks on it cause it to fade and a vision to over take them all.

A vision of five lions soaring through space to combine and create a warrior of metal and might, Voltron.

Keith blinks away the vision staring up at the lion in awe, he is soon taken by surprise when the other mention the vision as well.

Keith is stunned silent, no one has ever shared a vision with him, none of the pack could see them.

Keith looks to Kosmo and whines low in his throat in question, asking if he say it too, Kosmo just shakes his head in response.

Keith is distracted by his momentary disappointment when Shiro put a hand on his shoulder and asks if he is okay, all the humans heard him whine and are concerned about it.

Keith just clears his throat and says he is fine.

He is fine, even if his brother will never fully understand or share his visions with him, he is fine.

Keith looks up to the lions again as the humans all board it through it's mighty maw.

He will be fine.

He has seen so, the visions might not all come true, but he knows it will be okay.

He will have Kosmo.

And these humans.

He will have the ones called the alteans.

He will have the ones called the blades.

He won't be alone, and when the time comes he will see his pack again, with Kosmo and Krolia by his side.

Assured of his path Keith steps up the ramp into the lion, Kosmo following him every step of the way.

He will be okay.

+-------------------------+

What do you think?  
That a good place to end it?

From here it is implied it will follow canon events,  
but worth Keith knowing bits of the future and looking galra it can easily divert,  
especially given Allura's blatant racism.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you got a 
> 
> Raised by wolves AU  
> +  
> Galra keith AU  
> +  
> Psychic Keith AU (kinda)  
> +  
> Big brother Kosmo AU(the whole reason I wrote this honestly)
> 
> All wrapped into one


	62. College students have always been a bit eccentric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is something odd about the voltron dorm house.
> 
> Tags-  
> Supernatural Creatures, Vampire Holt Siblings, Werewolf Hunk, Fae Allura, Merfolk Lance, Part Dryad Shiro(or something like a dryad), Demon Keith, Oblivious Keith, Keith Knows Nothing About Humans or Other Supernaturals

Everyone in Keith's dorm was odd, to put it plainly, but who was he to say anything.

Who was he to mention how his roommate lance slept in the bathtub full of water or ate nothing but fish for every meal.

Who was he to say anything when Pidge and Matt hissed at the sun and horded ungodly amounts of tech he suspects they aquired by nonlegal means.

Who was he to question how Hunk shed massive amounts of hair on every surface he passes or how he might be hiding a large dog in his room that howls on full moon nights.

Who was he to be suspicious of Allura's glowing aura that lights up the whole dorm or how the house plants seem to perk up to her as she speaks to them.

Who is he to ask Shiro about his arm that has roots and bark mingling with flesh or how the dorm manager calls for the dorm to hide their peculiarities whenever outsiders come around.

He doesn't question it even when Lance walks into their shared dorm kitchen without a shirt on and scales freckling his skin.

He doesn't say a word when Shiro sheds bark absently while concentrating on a particularly tough subject for class.

He doesn't think twice about how he has never seem neither Matt or Pidge eat solid food or come out of their dorm before sunset.

He doesn't mention to anyone how odd it was to witness Allura get into an argument with the fern in the hallway or how it seems the fern somehow won that arguement.

He doesn't ask Hunk about why he tends to binge on raw meat once a month before hiding in his room with his mysterious howling dog til morning.

Keith has accepted that his dormmates are kinda odd and quirky that way, I mean who is he to judge? 

He is a demon after all, it's not like he knows what normal is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first Keith was just gonna stay the oblivious human in the group but then I'm like, what if he is still oblivious but also a demon? So yeah, he is a demon that doesn't know he was accepted into a dorm of nonhumans.


	63. Isle of flightless birds (part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith leaves the valley
> 
> Tags-  
> Keith&Shiro, Dragon Keith, Implied/Referenced Animal Death, Implied Major Character Death, The Garrison Trio, Midevil Militia Scientists, Dragons, Dragon King Zarkon, Lonely Keith

It's been five years since Keith met the human named Shiro, 

Two years since he spoke to him,

And two whole years since Shiro left the valley with the Holt humans and never came back.

It is odd because he has come to grow used to being alone since his clan vanished on their migration.

He feels he should be used to it, but the humans promise feels different then the clans passing words.

Keith feels abandoned.

Keith recalled what the holts had speculated, abandoned for being unable to fly, for being too small, weak and helpless.

Keith waits a whole year after Shiro failed to come, before he decides to go-to Shiro.

Shiro's scent is long gone from the land and the wind, but Keith knows the direction he traveled.

Keith doesn't spare the valley a glance as he passes through the peaks that Shiro has passed every visit.

The calm, cold and quiet of the valley erupts into a freezing blizzard of noisy wind swept sheer cliffs.

It's enough of a change for Keith to pause in awe, humans seem so frail and small, yet Shiro braved such treacherous paths to reach Keith's valley.

From Keith's perspective he is at the barrier at which the clouds rest, separating the sky from the earth.

In a moment of reckless abandon Keith leaps into the howling winds spreading his wings to catch the drifts.

He has glided many times in the valley, kept of the surrounding peaks into the valley below, the calm winds cushioning his descent as he fell.

This though, was like diving into a storm, Keith reveled in the harsh winds and steep drop.

Folding his wings to drop below the winds to the calmer winds below before opening his wings to properly control his fall.

His wings may have been small for a normal dragon but they were still large enough to carry his glide.

It takes no time for him to spot a change in the wintery peaks, they melt into denser forests, opening to strange stone hills.

It takes him no time to realise those stone hills are human dwellings, massive stone "towers" as Shiro had spoke of.

Keith doesn't quite make it all the way to the towers though, his trees rise to meet him long before he can reach them.

One clumbsy drop later and Keith has landed alittle worse for wear, but altogether okay.

Meanwhile, at the "towers".

The towers being the Garrison if you hadn't guessed.

The humans there have spotted the dragon that "flew" from the mountain and landed in the woods not far from the college.

Several teams are sent out to figure out where the dragon came from, what it's doing and most importantly if it is a threat.

Of course the trio of lance, hunk and Pidge are the ones who find Keith first.

Keith becomes aware of the amateur field scientists immediately cause they aren't stealthy or quiet.

The trio still think they are hiding pretty well and babble on trying to decide what to do next.

Keith is grumpy from his fall and growls at them hoping to scare them away.

He had scented them coming for quite some distance and none of them smell anything like Shiro, so they aren't of any concern to Keith.

Lance who honestly made the worst decision in the moment jumps out and tries to talk to Keith.

To Keith's complete astonishment, lance starts interrogating him while pidge and hunk mildly panic.

Keith who took years to even think about talking to Shiro doesn't even consider comunicating with Lance, he ducks his head and raises his wings in the universal "I'm gonna attack you if you don't back off" pose.

At this point lance is sweating, and goes from confident interigator to causiously trying to talk down an animal ten times his size from mailing him.

Pidge and hunk decide they don't wanna see lance die so they jump out of hiding to defend him.

Keith sees Pidge, immediately notices they looks like the smaller holt and assumes they is Matt.

This is a shock to the trio cause Keith goes from "visably agressive" to "visably docile" in an instant.

Keith who had not memorized the holts like he did Shiro takes the time to causiously approach pidge and sniff them.(he probably doesn't remember the holts scents as well as Shiro's cause he never scented them)

Lance is slightly offended by how Pidge somehow tamed a dragon without doing anything, Pidge is just as confused everyone else.

Keith of course notices Pidge smells distinctly female and tilts his head confused.

In a split second decision he speaks to Pidge alone saying, you do not smell male as Matt did, why do you look like Matt?

Pidge exclaims, YOU CAN TALK, YOU KNOW MATT!? OMG YOURE SHIROS DRAGON!?

Hunk and lance are confused cause they heard nothing but a low rumble from Keith, but they are shocked by what pidge said.

Lance sputters a bit saying, Shiro's dragon??? As in that Shiros dragon!? The dragon from Shiros research!?!?

Keith realizes they all know Shiro and speaks up so they can all hear him saying, you know Shiro!? Where is he? Can you take me to him???

Realizes how eager the dragon is they turn somber quickly.

Shiro is famous at the Garrison, one of their strongest and most successful researchers.

Shiro had singlehandedly traveled up dragons reach and tamed a dragon, bringing back loads of research to show for it.

Shiro's research brought to light new insight on what little humans know about dragons.

Even making the greatest discovery that brought him the most contraversy, his claim that dragons are capable of speech.

Of course only the most trusted of the Garrison like Iverson and Sanda know about the dragons capabilities of communication.

But whispers of Shiro's dragon are shared amongst every branch of the college.

And the trio just met said dragon.

And said dragon spoke to them.

Keith's excitement gives way to caution when he notices the mood shift.

Causiously the trio tell Keith what happened to Shiro.

Upon Shiro and the holts return to the garrison, the higher ups hear of the news of the latest discovery, which is that Keith can speak.

This in turn opens immeasurable possiblities, but also some controversy about dragons status as an animal.

It is decided it would be too controversial to let that bit of information spread so they put the holts and Shiro to oath to silence them.

Turns out the college gets an awful lot to gain from keeping dragons classified as animals, after all it would be too much of a hassle to police all the hunters that work to benefit the college's research efforts.

Granting dragons rights isn't something the college wishes to do, even if they hold the powers to do so.

When Shiro and the Holts realize this, the start speaking out towards the higher ups.

And it's decided they need to be silenced.

They pretend to agree upon granting the dragons rights and send Shiro and the holts to Kerberos to speak with the dragons.

Kerberos is on the edge of the dragons territory, where the marmora clan went when migrating each year.

But the land is now territory to the galra clan, ruled by the elder dragon Zarkon.

The Garrison sent them to scope out and see how open the dragons would be for an alliance, knowing they would not return.

The story that is circulating though,

Is that Shiro and the Holts, successful in their mission to dragons reach and gaining research on the tamed dragon of the reach.

Are going on a mission to study the dragons of Kerberos to find out why the dragons all over the land have stopped migrating.

The official story is they died before reaching Kerberos.

Keith of course doesn't believe the official story, Pidge agrees with him.

Keith now plans to go to Kerberos, because he now sees Shiro as part of his clan and he is not gonna lose another clan.

Keith also might be alittle apprehensive about going to Kerberos and beyond because of his old clan but he pushes through for Shiro.

Before Keith can figure out where Kerberos is more humans show up much to everyone's frustration and Keith goes back to not talking.

It's a senior team, consisting of James and his crew, who freeze upon seeing Keith before deciding to take charge.

And by take charge I mean tie Keith down with ropes, much to the trios protests.

Pidge the smart one they are, manages to keep the others from mentioning Keith spoke.

Keith really doesn't like the first impression he is getting from James.

Keith growls while puffing out black smoke the whole trip back to the garrison.

He is starting to understand why Shiro said he wouldn't be welcomed kindly by other humans...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got an idea for the next two parts, the ending not so much...


	64. Even space has crypids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Keith was born purple, earth was no longer a safe place to raise him.
> 
> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Cryptid Keith, Feral behaviour, Referenced/Implied Character Death, Implied/Referenced Animal Death, Red Paladin Lance, Blue Paladin Allura, References to Tribal/Indigenous Rituals, Cryptid Hunting, Racism, Mindmeld

Similar concept to wolf child, in which Krolia cannot being Keith to marmora nor can she leave him on earth.

In which instead of traveling to the quantum abyss, Krolia chooses a planet that has never known of galra.

So Keith and his father stay hidden from the planets natives and Keith grows up isolated.

At one point his father never comes home, it's hinted the natives found him and killed him or something but no one really knows.

So all alone on an alien planet with only survival knowledge and the knowledge he should never been seen or caught by the natives, Keith grows up almost feral.

Fast forward to Voltron picking up a distress signal from this very same planet.

The natives want Voltron to go catch the 'demon' they say is haunting the woods, they want it for ritual sacrifice.

So Voltron assumes they want some big scary animal and go looking.

though they aren't exactly comfortable with the whole ritual sacrifice thing, they keep that to themselves, assuming it is no harm if it's only an animal.

They go hunting with only vague descriptions from native sightings.

Like a beast with a sharp horned silhouette. (Keith's pointy galra ears)

Glowing violet eyes and sharp fangs.

A beast covered in the skins of it's victims.(I mean technically true, his clothes are made from fur front he native fauna)

And a bunch of other misleading and ominous legends.

So Voltron goes out hunting, they set up traps and map out the locations the beast has been sighted looking for evidence of it's existance.

Keith skillfully avoids the traps, cause they are kinda obvious, an animal might have fallen for them but not a person.

Keith find amusement by dismantling some traps or filling some with rocks of small animals, all to mess with the paladins.

The paladins realize they are being messed with and Pidge sets up surveillance cameras to catch the beast in the act.

Keith has no idea what a camera is not does he know he could be caught visually by a machine, so he is only looking out for and avoiding the traps not the cameras.

So the paladins settle for another night camping in the alien wilderness.

And Keith does his tampering fun after dark.

As it is dark, the camera tho advanced, doesn't get a perfect image of Keith.

Lights would reveal the camera or make anything around avoid the area, so it's dark.

Extra dark with the canopy of alien trees.

The next morning what they find on the footage is a shadow of Keith, just as the natives said, sharp horned silhouette with glowing purple eyes.

What they were expecting was for the beast to be a bipedal alien and not an animal at all.

With a bit of clean up they can make out purple skin, galra.

That sets off lots of warning flags, it goes from beast hunt to, track down the galra hiding in the woods and find out their plans.

Keith doesn't notice the shift at first, still gleefully enjoying the wild goose chase, and the paladins use it to their advantage and ambuse Keith.

Keith is shocked and terrified that he is caught out of nowhere and lashes out at the paladins and the trap ferally.

Note, Keith doesn't know he is galra, he doesnt know anything about the war or Voltron or anything outside of surviving these alien woods with his father.

Getting captured means to him he will disappear like his father, that something bad will happen to him.

The paladins decided when they found out there was a galra and not a beast in the woods that they can't give the galra to the natives, cause they would just sacrifice them.

So they stay in the woods to interigate Keith.

The interigation goes nowhere, cause neither side is on the same page.

Keith thinks the paladins are part of the natives that killed his father.

The paladins in turn think Keith is a scout or spy sent to take the planet.(allura is a paladin in this fic so imagine how well that is going)

So they sneak Keith onto the ship and shove him in cryo stasis like they did Sendak.

Everyone is more cautious about the stasis since Sendak so they all stick around while it's hooked up to a mindmeld/memory storage device.

And they all get a front row seat to his memories.

For foggy memories of when he was born on earth, to when his mother and father decided to leave earth, to living in the alien wilderness with his father, to losing his father with no answers as to where he went and living alone in fear that he would soon follow in his father's footsteps and soon vanish to whatever bad place was beyond the safety of the wilderness, all leading up to messing with the paladins and getting captured and his fear and panic before the present catches up.

After that they have no choice but to let Keith go and of course Keith lashes out and they have to somehow calm him down and explain what's going on.

And that leads to an arch in which the paladins tame a half feral Keith and learn he can pilot one of the lions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending is rushed and unplanned... But it's an ending at least ...


	65. The lonely king (Kallura)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lion is the king of his kingdom,
> 
> But what is a king's worth without any subjects,
> 
> Tis but a pitiful king indeed.
> 
> Tags-  
> Allura/Keith, One-sided Allura/Lance, One-sided Allura/Lotor, White Lion, Altean Alchemy, Temporary Amnesia, Altean Keith  
> (kind of), Mentions of war and Genocide (cause that's what wiping out the entire altean race is)

In which Keith is the gaurdian of oriande and the white lion.

Keith is kinda trapped in oriande, he can't leave or bad stuff will happen. 

Like oriande collapsing in on itself or all alchemy in the universe is lost forever or he ceases to exist as a being capable of interacting with the universe around him.

But as he soon learns, he can reach out beyond oriande.

At first it is completely on accident, as he can sense the auras of those with the power to reach oriande on the other plane, he gets curious and concentrates on one.

It's Allura, while she is still a child on altea.

He becomes aware of her and the world she inhabits.

It's Keith's first time witnessing anything beyond oriande.

But no matter how hard he tries he can't interact with allura or the world around her.

He watches her grow, he watches the world around her change, he sees the tensions rise and the war begin.

It's all new and confusing and overwhelming, for both Keith and Allura.

The war becomes all too real as the altean armies fall and the castle comes under fire.

When allura is put in cryo stasis Keith abruptly loses connection with her.

Keith is panicked and worried.

He still senses her aura, but it is quiet in stasis, slumbering, he cannot reach her.

He doesn't give up and desperately tugs at her aura as a last resort.

Surprisingly that brings Allura's consciousness into oriande.

Allura wakes up in oriande with no idea where she is and desperately looking around for her father.

Only to spot a bright white lion standing before her.

So allura spends her whole ten thousand years of stasis with Keith in oriande.

After spending a near eternity together Allura's consciousness is ripped from oriande when her body is released from stasis.

Keith is devistated.

Allura is shaken, woken up from what feels like an endless dream, and Keith's name on her lips instead of her father's.

Keith is alone in oriande once more, watching Allura from his prison.

Allura doesn't fully remember Keith nor oriande, as her mind, body and we're not in sync when she visited messing with her memory.

So Keith just kinda watches canon events play out, learning he can in fact effect what is happening by using Allura as a connection to the universe.

Keith doesn't know why he is bothered by Lance flirting with Allura or Shiro getting closer to her.

He doesn't understand his jealousy at first.

He watches as Lotor changes sides and makes his home in the castle, Keith senses his motives but is unsure of his true loyalty.

Keith is distracted though when Allura and Lotor find their way to oriande.

Keith is ecstatic Allura has returned, if not apprehensive she didn't come alone.

It's not until Keith stand before her that Allura remembers the ten thousand years she spent in oriande, all the lost knowledge she accumulated with Keith by her side while she explored oriande.

Lotor gets snubbed by Allura when she chooses Keith over him.

Keith shapeshifts into a white haired altean.

Keith still kinda can't leave oriande but the alchemy magic stuff allura learned helped her create an amulet or something Keith can use as a vessel so he can project outside of oriande.

And then Keith and Allura get all sappy completely unconcerned with how confused everyone is and how offended lotor is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am gonna reread this in the morning, 
> 
> Whether or not it still makes sense then is a hit or miss,
> 
> I am very sleep deprived right now.


	66. Can you love me as you do her? (Allurance) (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A body swap with a twist
> 
> Tags-  
> Lance/Allura, One-sided Keith/Lance, Body Swap, Pining, Angst

So Lance and Allura are dating.

Keith is pining hard and heart broken over Lance.

While visiting a planet an alien promises Keith a way to grant his heart desires.

And it makes him and Allura body swap.

Angst insues.

Everyone realizes immediately there was a swap.

Lance is very conflicted and stuck in the middle of the swapped pair cause, dating Allura, but allura has Keith's body and Keith is in Allura's body???

It's a huge mess.

(I'll let you decide how it ends)


	67. The nature of death (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Major Character Death, Major Character Injury, Keith/Shiro, Reapers, Chronic Illness, Car Accidents, Reincarnation

Reapers are servants of death, there sole job is to reap souls at their time, nothing more.

It is in the reapers nature, instinct.

They are drawn to those at the brink of death, but only bring death when the time is right, they can sense that time.

Keith has been a reaper for as long as they have existed.(Keith is non-binary in this cause I said so)

For as long as they have existed they have been certain of one thing, they are different then the other reapers.

The other reapers have made certain to make Keith aware of how different they are.

How wrong it is for them to linger among the living when there is no need for death, to observe the living when they aren't at the brink of death, to speak to those when there is no need.

They have made it clear how they feel about Keith's behavior.

Reapers hold no emotions, yet Keith feels the distance between them and the rest of their kind.

Keith distracts themself with observing the living, in feeling the light they seem to project simply by being alive.

Things change when Keith is drawn towards a single mortal.

A young boy, bright as the rest of the living yet somehow not.

(Note living beings can only see/hear reapers when they are close to death, like barely holding on to life, anyother time reapers are like ghosts, intangible and invisible.)

So Keith lingers around this boy, curious as they are with other living things.

They notices how the boy will sometimes stop playing to grimace or grasp his own arm as if in pain.

Sometimes the boy will stay in bed all day and sometimes for many days at a time.

It doesn't take Keith long to realize the boy is ill, a lingering nameless illness weighing down on his shoulders.

When especially tired the boys eyes will linger in Keith's direction as if he can see them there, it is at these times Keith feels strange.

But they disregard the feeling, after all reapers do not hold emotions.

The boy grows older.

Now when the boy is struck with pain he has a strange wrist band to combat it.

Somehow though, the nights when the boys eyes are drawn to Keith increase instead of decrease, the odd feeling grows inside Keith.

He speaks one of these nights, in the quiet darkness of the room, he speaks towards Keith.

Shiro, the boy is called Shiro.

Keith knew this of course, has heard the boy's name called many times, but it was the first time he had spoken it to Keith.

Keith did not say anything in return, but Shiro didn't seem to mind it much, he soon fell asleep.

The next time Shiro speaks to Keith is after an accident.

Shiro had been driving when a reckless driver got too close and he swerved off the road into a tree.

Keith felt the pull of death on Shiro stronger then ever and Shiro could see him clear as day.

He had called for help, begged Keith to do something, but there was nothing Keith could do in that moment.

Shiro's arm was pinned in the twisted metal of the car, the windshield shattered in his face giving him a gash straight along the bridge of his nose.

There was truely nothing Keith could do, Keith could only say sorry and wait and watch as the first responders came nearly an hour later.

At some point during his rescue Shiro realized no one but him could see Keith, as he was loaded into the ambulance Keith gave another quiet sorry.

It was later in the hospital that Keith's image fades back to a shadow that Shiro realizes they are the shadow he has seen since he was a kid.

Shiro asks Keith then if they is a ghost, Keith doesn't answer.

Shiro loses his arm to that accident, he loses his certainty as well, he is more cautious, anxious.

He has nightmares.

It takes Keith awhile to realize he is also avoiding driving and cars.

It makes Keith feel bad, even knowing there was nothing they could do, they could still hear Shiro pleading for their help.

Keith would normally comfort the living when they are at the brink of death, but somehow Shiro was different.

Keith realizes they don't want Shiro to die.

It is strange, Shiro has been skirting death his whole life and Keith knows it.

Shiro is destined to die, as are all living things.

The nights when Shiro speaks to Keith do not help with their conflicted feelings.

One night when Shiro had contracted fever his eyes found Keith again with a surety that let them know he could see them completely.

Shiro greats them tiredly and Keith comes to his bedside and brushes their cold hand over his fevered forehead.

Keith realizes now that they are feeling something they shouldn't for Shiro, an attraction beyond the pull of a reaper towards death.

Keith wants to spend an eternity by Shiro's side.

Shiro speaks again telling Keith he is greatful for them, for all the times he was alone and weak and scared Keith was nearby and that was a great comfort.

Keith tells Shiro that they are not something that he should find comfort in, they aren't that merciful.

Of course Shiro doesn't accept the self deprication and tells Keith that there is no mercy without death.(or something like that, idk)

Keith smiles sadly at Shiro as he falls asleep.

Shiro's fever doesn't get better, it linger and Shiro is soon settled into a hospital bed.

Keith is there of course, scared of the pull of death on Shiro that isn't going away.

When they are alone Shiro tells Keith he is okay and not to worry, but Keith can feel he is not.

Shiro's mysterious illness has compromised his immune system, so the fever has become a complication.

Several days pass and Shiro doesn't show signs of getting better.

Shiro spends his days talking to his friends and family that visit.

He spends his nights speaking quietly to Keith so as to not be over heard by the nurses and night staff.

Keith comes to realize that Shiro knows he is dying.

On a particularly tough day for Shiro when he tells Keith he is fine after a lingering episode, Keith loses their temper.

Keith yells at Shiro that it isn't fine, that he isn't getting better and everything isn't fine.

Shiro takes Keith's hand and tugs him into a hug and say he knows and it's okay.

And Keith cries.

It's that night when it happens.

Keith senses it, that it's time for Shiro to die and he freezes.

Keith refuses to reap Shiros soul, refuses to let Shiro die.

Reapers don't cause death, but without reapers living things can't die, reapers are that push that separate the souls from the body, so that a person cannot be resuscitated.

Shiro is still alive, but he is due to die and Keith doesn't want to let him die.

It isn't until another reaper comes sensing Shiro is due that Shiro realizes what Keith is.

Keith sends the other reaper away by force, this preventing them from reaping Shiro.

So Shiro has to coax Keith into letting him die and telling them they can't keep Shiro alive forever.

Eventually after some arguing and crying and coaxing Shiro convinces Keith they have to let Shiro die.

So Keith reaps Shiros soul.

And Shiro dies.

In the following years and decades Keith avoids the other reapers and the living unless they feels the pull of death.

One day when Keith is out sensing the death pull when they run into another reaper.

Since Shiro's death Keith's relationship with the other reapers has gotten worse, so they prepare for a confrontation.

What they get though, is Shiro, who is now a reaper.

And Shiro remembers Keith, his memory of being mortal he doesn't remember well, but he remembers Keith vividly.

And when Shiro sees Keith he recognizes then immediately and smiles brightly.

(The end)


	68. It is a debt I do not owe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Dystopia, Dehumanization, Galra Aren't Considered Citizens Worthy Of Rights, Collars, Non-Consentual Drug Use, Mentions Of Genocide, Racism, The Galra Are Humans With A Mutation

An AU in which galra are humans that are born with purple skin, fur, ears, fang and yellow eyes.

A mutation and a common one at that.

It was several centuries in the past when the galra mutation first became something people found a potential danger.

A war started, no one knows the cause or the motives that started it, but everyone has heard of it's impact and of who became the aggressor.

A fairly older country called Daizabaal, they were most noteworthy for their treatment of those born galra.

Where as most countries saw the galra as a stain on the population, Daizabaal treated them as complete citizens and equals, for the ruler have birth to an heir who presented as galra.

It was that heir that the world blames for the rise of war and the crimes that were commit during the conflict.

For that child grew to be king Zarkon and rumour has it he wasn't satisfied with the freedom the galra had, he wanted more.

The war brought to the world the most devistating genocide that any man had ever seen before and since.

The target were those born "normal" those not effected by the galra mutation, it is said Zarkon started with his own mother.

It was after that war a new law was enacted, galra of all races and countries were put under strict control.

For the safety of humanity it was stated, even centuries later the policies though different still hold the same effect, to keep the galra under a strict leash.

Even in the present day when it is apparent that galra are only different from everyone else in appearance, they are still held accountable for the sins of a war hungry tyrant.

Keith knew very well the oppression weighing on him simply for the color of his skin, abandoned at birth and thrown into a galra only orphanage as to not corrupt the "innocent" children.

He learned the place in which galra must stay in society.

The collar around his neck is tight, both figuratively and literally.

From the day they can walk galra children are fitted with a collar, locked tight around their necks.

The collars purpose is to both act as a visual proof of a galras obedience and subservience, as well as practically.

The collar connects to a digital network which is set to monitor where each galra is and who each galra is.

Not to mention it's restraints, nothing like wearing a loaded tranquilizer around your neck.

Keith has experienced that feature many times growing up, the hangover is something he never gets used to.

All for the peace of mind of the non-galra population.

Keith is particularly bitter about the "normal" people as he gets his collar tranquilizer cartridges refilled at the galra clinic.

No matter how hard he attempts to avoid confrontation the hostility towards galra born is every present, he starts none of the fights and takes all of the punishment.

Keith is treated like a feral beast as his tranquilizer cartridges changed, strapped down and monitored as if he would leap from the bed and maul the technician.

The technician makes certain to tell Keith if he continues with his agressive behavior that they will upgrade his tranquilizer formula again or maybe even skip that step and have him incarcerated where the "uncontrollable" galra are sent.

Keith feels like he is given an impossible task.

If a group of normies corner and attack him again it will put on his record as agression regardless of whether he fights back or not, it's their word against his.

Keith holds back his frustrations for as long as it takes to flee any confrontation he can, unfortunately it's unavoidable.

He is on his way to work when he is confronted on the sidewalk, a group makes their fun in blocking Keith's path to torment him.

And he sucks up his pride to politely ask them to move, which in turn makes them laugh in his face and tell him what they think about galra.(which is not nice things)

It's a busy street, some padestrians are even gawking at Keith, but not treat it as a situation worth budding into, why would they normies don't consider galra humans.

The most frustrating part is, if Keith even raises his voice he will be marked as an agressor and it will go on his record.

He can only grit his teeth and hope they get bored.

Which they don't, when realizing they aren't gonna get a response by taunting him they get physical and shove him to the ground.

Some people on the other side of the street witness this and stop to watch.

Keith's ears tilt back as he sits on the pavement.

At some point Keith start losing his control on his temper and starts growling and that eggs the group on to start hitting him.

Before Keith can decide if it's worth it someone steps in and drags one of the assailants away, they soon turn their attention to whoever decided to interrupt their fun.

It's Shiro, with the garrison trio behind him.(they are all non-galra)

Shiro looks righteously furious at the assailants, Lance looks conflicted(Lance is one of the people who believe galra are less then human) Hunk looks very nervous but also angry like Shiro, Pidge looks ready to throw hands to back Shiro up.

Keith has no idea what's going on.

But basically, they chase of the assailants, some law enforcement show up looking like they are prepared to take down a feral galra but Shiro defends Keith.

The officers claim they have to take Keith in regardless, to which Pidge comes in all righteous fury to quote the law and prove them wrong.

So Shiro and crew saved Keith from stronger tranquilizers and incarceration.

But Keith is punished regardless for being late to work and being injured, but Shiro and the gang don't know that.

(I'm out of ideas for this, this is just alittle world building I don't have much plot)


	69. I'll see you next Halloween (Sheith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's only once a year Shiro sees Keith,
> 
> But it's year round Keith sees Shiro.
> 
> Tags-  
> Shiro/Keith, Allura&Shiro, Cat Keith, Cursed Keith, Transformation, Shiro Adopts Keith From A Shelter, Shiro Goes Missing, Implied Hurt Shiro, Hinted At Sexual Shenanigans, Once A Year Keith Is Human, Halloween

Keith is cursed.

He has been cursed for as long as he can remember.

Stuck in the limited form of a little black cat for life, at least until Keith found a loop hole.

On the eve of Halloween the laws that govern magic and power shift so the unseen can be seen.

It is that shift that Keith found allows him to shift from cat to man without consequence.

For twenty-four hours Keith is free to walk the Earth as a human, from three am Halloween morning, til three am the day after Halloween.

Some creatures can take more of an advantage during the shift extending their time among humans far after Halloween, but Keith is only mortal.

There is a reason Keith is eager to change every Halloween.

His life as a cat hasn't been easy but his life as a human has been far worse.

He has come to terms with his curse and isn't desperate to break it.

At least he was content before he met Shiro.

It was a major embarrassment ending up in an animal shelter Keith must admit.

He may be content living as a cat, but living as a pet was a different story.

At least that is what he believes before getting adopted by Shiro.

Keith admits he didn't make it easy for Shiro at first, but once they came to understand eachother they settled into a routine.

His first Halloween at Shiro's home was eventful to say the least, Keith had used the shift as an opportunity to leave Shiro's house and enjoy his short time as a human.

What he didn't expect was to run into Shiro during his excursion.

Keith wasn't as bothered by Shiro hijacking his human time as he thought he might be, he wasn't Shiro's cat "Black" he was just the human Keith.

They went there separate ways come late evening and Keith for once wishes his time as a human was longer.

By the time Keith returns to Shiro's he is a cat again, Shiro it turns out was fearful of his cats safety being outside on Halloween but is relieved when Keith shows up at the door fine.

It becomes a regular thing, Keith spending Halloween with Shiro.

It makes Keith long to be human again.

Shiro of course notices he can't find any proof Keith exists, Keith has no phone, no address, no last name, and he only appears on Halloween.

After one Halloween Keith decides he is gonna come clean to Shiro.

It is that year Shiro goes missing.

Shiro is leaving somewhere, Keith isn't sure where, but Shiro says he will be back soon.

Shiro's friend Allura comes to the house to make sure Keith is fed, and tell Keith, Shiro will be back soon.

Months pass, Keith starts to fear Shiro won't return for Halloween.

His fears prove true.

Keith goes out on Halloween, asks around about Shiro.

Lance, Hunk and Pidge, who Keith hasn't met as a human but has seen visit Shiro while he was a cat, is where he gets answers.

Shiro spoke of the mysterious Keith who only seems to exist in Halloween.

Pidge is the one who did the background checks looking for Keith as a favor for Shiro and is rightfully surprised he actually exists.

They hang out for a while, even drag Keith to a party.

Keith slightly overwhelmed and very frustrated leaves the party.

It's when he is leaving the pidge apologies for letting lance hijack his night and Keith asks where Shiro is.

He learns Shiro went overseas withh the Holts cause he owed the Holts a favor and that Shiro is soon to return next month.

When Pidge asks Keith how to get ahold of him and that she can contact him when Shiro returns.

Keith says it's fine and he will know.

Keith returns to Shiro's empty house that night before he turns back into a cat.(cause Shiro isn't home to open the door for cat Keith)

Shiro never returns from the trip.

Allura comes by again, Keith has come to expect her presence, instead of leaving food she tries to coax Keith to leave the apartment.

Keith isn't dumb he knows what is going on and bolts outside and away.

Keith doesn't accept Shiro is dead nor does he accept Shiro isn't coming back, because Shiro promised him he would return.

Keith returns to bwing a feral stray, avoiding any and all humans.

For a full year Keith is alone.

And when Halloween comes around and he takes on human form he just gets more depressed.

It's his second Halloween since Shiro vanished and he isn't as eager to take advantage of his human form.

He sits in a public park and watches listlessly the people pass in costume, eager for candy and parties and such.

He doesnt look up when someone sits beside him.

He does however when he hears Shiros voice, because Shiro is back.

Keith tackles Shiro in a hug and they have their reunion.

They spend the evening together and fall asleep together in Shiro's house.

Shiro wakes up surprised to see not human Keith, but his cat Black that allura says ran away while he was gone.

Keith is devistated to wake up as a cat and not a human in Shiro's arms.

Keith gets clingy and anxious when Shiro is leaving or out of sight.

There was nothing Keith could do as a cat while Shiro was missing and hurting and Keith feels helpless.

Next Halloween Keith as a cat wakes Shiro before his transformation and Shiro witnesses his cat become Keith right before his eyes.

Shiro then puts together all the clues that Keith was his cat, like Keith not existing any day other then Halloween, Keith knowing things only his cat does, his cat disappearing every Halloween only to appear the next day completely fine, and ect.

Turns out the cure for the curse was for someone to "realize what you truely are and accept you anyway" so Keith becomes a full time human.

Until next Halloween when he turns into a black cat at three in the morning.

But i guess that is just a small price to pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kept forgetting to write this one... I was going to post it on Halloween but shrug.


	70. Souls intertwined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Shiro&Keith, Krolia&Keith, Keith&Axca, Keith &Lance, One-sided Keith/Lance, Nontraditional Soulmates, Soulmate AU, Canon Timeline, Platonic Relationships, misunderstandings, Aromantic Keith

Soulmates, the person who will be the most important person in your life.

Or so we are told.

From a young age everyone has heard that they have a soulmate, someone connected to their very soul who is made for them.

So everyone grows up searching for their other half, some desperately so.

What they don't know is a soulmate was never meant to be their perfect match, they aren't always romantic, some aren't even platonic.

The true nature of a soulmate is someone who plays the biggest impact in your life, they may teach you a valuable lesson, be your undying support, save your very live, stop you from doing something you will forever regret.

A soulmate isn't always a forever partner either.

Some only pass fleetingly through your life, while some stay until you need them no longer.

That truth has been lost though in time, in a world so desperate for partnership and love.

Shiro knew the instant he saw Keith they were connected, like many soulmates do.

It is a feeling unexplainable to those who have never felt it and sometimes drasticly different between soul pairs.

But Shiro knew instantly when he saw Keith, the sullen kid gave off a vibe, similar to a cornered animal, yet all the same Shiro felt close to the kid.

It seemed though Keith did not feel the same, he hadn't reacted at all during their first meeting.

And that somehow made Shiro feel less guilty, for he was currently committed to Adam, who he hoped to spend his life with.

Shiro still supported and guided Keith, helping him into the Garrison and teaching him to rein in his temper.

Though Shiro still feared getting to close to the kid, it was difficult not to when Keith began to come out of his shell.

His relationship with Adam became strained with his piloting career, the rumours about him and Keith circulating, his illness ever progressing.

Adam became jealous of Keith over time until an arguement revealed that Keith and Shiro were soulmates and Adam left Shiro.

Being under the interpretation that soulmates are bound romantically is what drove the wedge between Shiro and Adam, and also what makes Shiro so hesitant to tell Keith they are bound.

Keith kinda already knows though, he doesn't veiw soulmates as many people do because of something his father told him.

Knowing they were destined made Keith cautious around Shiro cause Keith didn't want a romantic relationship with anyone, but he relaxed when Shiro showed no signs of persuing one.

Being soulmates just slipped Keith's mind after that, cause it wasn't that big a deal.

It wasn't til Kerberos that Keith was reminded of their soul bond.

When he was told the mission failed and the crew was dead he could feel deep down Shiro was alive and in trouble.

His refusal to back down lead to his expulsion.

But he was proved right in his instincts when Shiro returned a year later covered in scars with a new prosthetic arm.

Keith saves Shiro with the garrison trio and they are shot into space.

Saving Shiro becomes a regular thing for Keith, it happens again and again and again.

After Zarkons defeat when Shiro vanishes from the black lion the soul bond goes quiet.

The constant him of knowing his destined is nearby is completely silenced and that is devistating to Keith.

It's at that time when Keith finally accepts the black lion that Keith and Lance come to an understanding and the "rivalry" stops.

It's in confidence that lance confesses to Keith that they have a soulbond and that Lance has had feelings for Keith since he first saw him at the garrison and felt their soul connection.

Keith turns Lance down gentlely.

They are distant after that.

It's only after finding Shiro does it slip from focus.

Keith doesn't feel a connection from Shiro when he returns and assumes the bond is gone and they aren't soulmates anymore.

Keith doesn't know why that bothers him.

Keith leaves Voltron to get away from the conflicted feelings and from Shiro who is acting different.

Fast forward to the finding his mother and the quantum abyss Krolia and Keith talk about soul destined.

Turns out Galra also have them, but they unlike humans know the true purpose of them.

Krolia tells Keith stories about soul destined's.

Stories about a pairs of soul destined.

A story about a man who met his soul destined on a mission, a man he was destined to kill and the lesson he learned in speaking to that man.

A story of a woman who lost her purpose in life when she met her destined, he was a child alone in the universe as she was, she adopted and raised him finding her purpose along the way.

A story about a crook who lead his destined to misery, and how his destined turned on him changing his life completely.

A story of a woman who gave birth to her soul destined, how she was forced to leave him behind.

Keith and Krolia are revealed to be soulbound.

(People can have more then one soulmate if you couldn't guess but they don't always feel more then one)

They leave the abyss descover the altean colonies and continue following the Canon plot.

It's after defeating the clone and waking up in the astral plane that Keith feels his bond with Shiro again, desperately tugging at him while he learns of Shiro's death.

After everything thing settles down and lotor is defeated and the castleship is gone do they revive Shiro.

It is then that the bond gets strongest before being satisfied, Keith basiclly made all the impact he needed in Shiro's life.

Shiro though is confused by the bond going quiet and distances himself from Keith now the bond is gone.

All his memories of Keith are with that bond humming to him in the background, it doesn't feel the same being around Keith anymore.

Keith is hurt by the distance but doesn push.

It's on the trip to earth that Lance and Keith make up from the whole one-sided feelings hurt.

And that's the end folks

(I only planned on focusing on the Shiro&Keith aspect of this concept, so since their relationship splits of around this point in canon this is where I'll end it)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some self-indulgent aro stuff for my aro ass
> 
> Basicly instead of coupley monogamy stuff, soulmates are people who make the biggest impacts on your life.
> 
> Keith's soulmates would be whoever made the biggest impacts on his life and whoever he impacted the most.
> 
> Meaning like, Lance, Allura, Shiro, Krolia, Axca, ect (I only built upon some of these tho)
> 
> His bond with Shiro is so strong because he is destined to bring Shiro back from the dead.
> 
> In the background Lance flirts with Allura cause he feels a strong bond from her because she is destined to bring him back to life and he is destined to save her life, he confesses to Keith because he is afraid of how strong the bond with Allura is, he does end up choosing Allura in the end after getting over Keith.


	71. The sound of sadness (part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith&Axca, Galra Keith, Hurt Keith, Keith Needs a Hug, Mourning, Canon Character Death, Lots of Hurt Very Little Comfort

Despite what Keith thinks while walking back to his lion in a daze, headache free for what feels like the first time in his life, it is only a temporary fix.

The telltale ache returns as his thoughts drift back to the cause.

Keith has galra blood.

His knife feels heavy in it's sheath at his waist, like a blaring billboard exposing him for all who see it.

His head aches as he stumbles out of his lion, Shiro the only thing keeping him from tripping over his own feet.

He sees the blade members stiffness, most likely hearing whatever sounds he seems to make in his distress.

Keith wishes they couldn't hear it, he probably sounds weak.

A childish noise.

The blades medical technician had said such, a cry only galran children make.

But as his heritage is revealed and the team respond with hesitance and Allura with distrust, he feels his head throb.

He is almost thankful he can't hear it as the taller of the blade struggles not to respond.

Much to his relief they move from the hanger to the bridge, taking the attention away from Keith.

Keith makes a point to avoid the gaze of the taller blade throughout the planning.

Allura makes a point to pretend Keith doesn't exist.

His headache doesn't lessen until he and Hunk leave for their mission to gather scaultrite from a weblum.

It doesn't fade completely, and Keith finds himself wishing he asked the blades medical technician how to stop it.

After a rough start Hunk and Keith find and figure out how to enter a weblum, without much help from the instructional video.

After splitting up Keith finds a ship stuck within the weblum with it's pilot still trapped inside, he frees them only to find they are a galra soldier.

After a stand off a silent truce is made and they meet Hunk in the third stomach.

Hunk leaves again to set off the weblum so they can collect the scaultrite.

Upon collecting a fair amount the galra soldier hefts a bag and points their weapon at Keith.

Keith feels like he should have seen this coming.

As the galra backs away they lift their claw to their helmet to active their comms to project outside the helmet.

The sound they make settles the headache that had faded back to a negligible ache.

They turn and run off, not even slowing when Keith yells for them to wait.

The sound Axca made was a wordless galran sound similar to a purr mixed with a cat like meow, sort of chuff like.

It is a sound made when a galra recognizes someone as close, like accepting someone as a friend.

She made it to let Keith know she is thankful he saved her life and she will do so in return if she is given the chance.

Keith's headache faded because he subconsciously recognized the meaning, he wants to feel close to people desperately.

His headache comes back worse the ride back from the weblum.

It doesn't fade in the coming days, it's noticable enough for Shiro to strongly suggest Keith rests.

Shiro is not completely aware of Keith's galra problem.

He knows Keith makes a noise that bothers the blades, he does not know it is what is causing him pain.

If he knew he would have gone to the blade for answers on how to help Keith.

It's when Keith is leaving to the hanger to infiltrate central command that the headache starts to ease.

When Allura apologizes for her actions and hugs Keith.

Keith feels something deep down settle with that hug, he can't quite put to words.

The final battle is won with Keith headache barely a bother.

It's when they get back and rush to Shiro's aid.

Keith stands and stares at the empty cockpit, his head throbbing.

He opens his mouth but no words come out, even as his throat aches with his head.

He wakes later in the medbay with no memory of leaving the hanger.

In the coming weeks these black outs become more common.

Keith frantically wrings himself til he passes out, few occasions does he make it to his bed to crash.

Keith finds himself in the meeting room with the coilition, blade and paladins.

He doesn't recall why he is here, he should be out searching for Shiro.

His head throbs.

The blade members don't hide their glances of concern.

It's when one of the aliens asks for Voltron does Keith snap.

What does Voltron matter, Shiro is missing, probably suffering and dying and they want Voltron!?

It is that explosion that finally prompts an intervention.

It does little to help his mood when Allura makes it clear they need a new black paladin.

Like it would be so easy to replace Shiro

"If anything happens to me, I want you to lead Voltron"

The black lion accepts Keith.

His head throbs.

They don't come together easy, the easy dynamic they built upon from the start is gone.

It becomes clear when they met the galran prince at Puig they weren't prepared.

But that battle helped them overcome many uncertainties to re-establish a new dynamic.

Keith begins joining blade missions in hopes of bettering himself for the team, not only because the blade sooths his headaches.

Finding Shiro has the similar effect on the team as shoving a wrench into the precariously placed cogs of a machine.

Keith finds himself retreating to the blade every chance he gets to relieve his headaches caused by Shiro's new behavior.

The blade isn't a paradise though.

This is war and there are casualties.

For every blade Keith meets, it is another blade to mourn.

Although the blade helps him cope with his headaches and even teaches him how to suppress making the sound for stealth missions, Keith always relapses at the loss of each blade.

He has a especially throbbing headache when he returns after Regis' loss.

The greeting he gets is far from supportive.

His throat hurts as he makes his choice to leave Voltron for good.

He doesn't remember leaving the bridge, nor getting on the ship heading to the blade.

He does remember how even Kolivan's hand on the back of his neck didn't sooth the pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really taking requests exactly, but I do read and consider comments.
> 
> I wanted to build on this one and the suggestion of Keith & Lotor interaction gave me a few ideas.
> 
> Part three will be lotor's perspective, probably starting at naxela


	72. I told you! It's not a costume!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Werewolf Keith, Wolfman Style, Keith Just Wants To Tell His Friends He Is A Werewolf, They Don't Believe Him, Because It's Halloween

Keith has always been a werewolf, he is what is called a born wolf.

The curse passed down from generation to generation.

Every night on the full moon he transforms.

Not into a wolf like in the modern movies, more like the wolfmen from the older films.

He grows claws, fangs, pointed ears and a even coat of fur all over.

Every full moon Keith hides himself away at home til the shift passes.

The curse has mellowed out over the centuries, sufferers no longer go feral or have memory lapses, they just get hairier once a month.

The shedding is the worst part honestly.

Keith was prepared to keep the secret his whole life.

But then he met Shiro and in extension everyone else.

The group had become like family to Keith and he was feeling guilty keeping such a secret from them.

Many game nights and plans have been ditched by Keith as a result of the full moon.

And he finally wants to come clean.

He makes plans to tell them and decides the best way is simpl to show them.

What he didn't take into account is for the next full moon to fall on Halloween.

The anxiety of finally coming clean had distracted Keith enough that he completely forgot about Halloween entirely.

So come full moon when he invites the group to come so he can tell them.

It all goes wrong.

Firstly they arrive late. 

Lance and Allura wanted to get their make-up just right, apparently they were going as a matching theme.

Keith had planned on them arriving before his shift so he would be believed.

But they arrived after the shift to him full wolfman.

Keith is annoyed their late and also confused why they are dressed up.

Keith asks confused, it's Halloween???

And everyone goes, haha funny, nice costume Keith!

Keith of course says, It's not a costume I'm a werewolf!

To which they just assume it's a joke of something.

So the whole night is Keith trying and failing to get everyone to believe him and everyone being impressed at how cool and detailed his costume is.

At the end of the night they all crash at Keith's and he is exhausted and gave up trying to convince them.

Come morning Shiro and Hunk the early birds are up before dawn.

Shiro cause he usually has a predawn jog and Hunk to start breakfast.

Keith walks out of his room still wolfed out cause the sun hasn't risen yet and sits at the table.

Shiro passes him a coffee and asks why he is still in costume and if he slept in it.

Keith makes a low sound of pure frustrated suffering.

He sits up to drink his coffee and that is right when the shift takes over and turns him human.

Shiro chokes on his coffee which in turn makes hunk turn to look and see Keith change which leads to him dropping an omelet mid flip.

Shiro just says in a strained voice, you're a werewolf...

And Keith finishes his coffee and says, I'm a werewolf.

And that's how everyone found out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the product of reading a ton of werewolf fics instead of sleeping.


	73. Purple Skin and Yellow Eyes (for I have none)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone knows Keith isn't human but no one even considers he is galra.
> 
> Tags-  
> Galra Keith, Alien Keith, Cryptid Keith (kinda), Keith Living Alone In The Desert, Misunderstandings, The Most Dominant Galra Genes Represent As Purple Skin/Fur/Scales And Yellow Eyes, Keith Has Neither, Non-Binary Pidge, Shiro has PTSD, He Isn't Coping Well, Keith Angst

Keith was born different.

His father told him he was special, the only Keith in the entire universe, no one exists like him.

As Keith got older he figures out what his father meant.

And why his father insisted he hide it.

His mother is from the stars, an alien, which makes him alien as well.

The first ever alien human hybrid to ever exist.

Keith could spot the differences if he compared himself to his father.

His nails were more like claws, his ears pointed, his canines sharper then any humans should be, his eyes cat-like with the ability to narrow to slits and his skin covered in a soft layer of near Invisible fuzz.(like such a short fine later of furry velvet you wouldn't notice unless you looked for it)

As he grew he noticed he was stronger, faster and more adapted to the harsh desert climate then his father ever could be.

His senses were more sensitive, able to hear things coming long before his father, able to see in the dark while his father could only see shadows and able to pick up individual scents that his father can't even distinguish.

But his father still cared for him even though he was so different, always speaking fondly of Keith's mother.

He would tell Keith how he had her eyes, her claws, her fangs and fur. (He never mentions Krolia's purple skin of yellow eyes, never even mentions the galra)

He spoke of her traveling to the stars to protect them from anything outside of Earth that might come to harm them.

Keith loved the stories, he believed his mother a hero.

Until the day his father never came home.

From that day forward he began to resent her for not saving him, for not coming home to see him before he died, for not coming back ever and leaving Keith alone in the desert.

Keith soon adapted though.

Staying in the desert and hunting what he can to feed himself, his alien heritage helping him on that front.

The desert caves his father showed him had fresh water, the desert itself had jackrabbits and lizards and snakes and coyotes to eat, there was little need to leave it.

When he was old enough that he wouldn't be seen as suspicious to be alone without a guardian he took his father's hoverbike and started going to town for odd jobs to help keep the shack from falling apart.

He of course made sure to hide his more telling alien features.

His longer hair could hide his ears, a simple nail file could camouflage his claws, being in the desert made it less suspicious to wear sunglasses all the time and he just has to be conscious enough to prevent people from touching his skin in passing or seeing his teeth when he spoke.

He learned to deal with adults who became suspicious of his lack of gaurdians even as a teenager.

Some folks in town made it their business to help Keith out whenever he came around.

Garrison cadets visiting town weren't as nice.

Keith learned that when he is confronted by James Griffin a cadet of the garrison visiting town on break.

The confrontation escalated into a fight that was broken up by Takashi Shirogane himself.

Shiro then went about scolding them both making the assumption Keith was a cadet himself.

Since it was during break most cadets were in civilian clothes so Keith being around the same age as younger cadets it's an easy mistake.

Shiro gives a lecture about giving the garrison a bad name and Keith makes a point to say screw the garrison I don't care and attempt to leave.

Shiro grabs his arm and Keith lashes out as if to claw him and snarls, don't touch me!

James says something about Keith being a psycho under his breath and Shiro raises his hands to say it's okay just calm down.

It takes alot of talking before Keith finally convinces them he isn't part of the garrison and has no intention of being part of their snooty school.

After that Keith begins running into Shiro more during his runs to town for work and supplies.

Shiro's of course nosey and inserts himself into Keith's life.

Eventually Keith stops trying to get rid of Shiro and they become friends.

Keith doesn't explicitly say he doesn't have parents but Shiro assumes Keith is a homeless orphan camping out in the desert somewhere. 

(He doesn't believe Keith about his shack because Keith refuses to let him know where he lives)

At some point Keith accidentally loses his sunglasses during a hang out with Shiro and panics when Shiro sees his eyes.

Since the desert is really bright Keith's eyes are almost always contracted to slits to protect them from the harsh light, so Shiro sees purple slotted cat iris's.

Keith runs away after that and avoids Shiro and the town and the garrison.

Shiro finds him completely by luck in the desert while he is gathering water in the desert cave systems.

Keith always stops to admire the rock paintings and the constant welcoming humming the caves seem to always have.

That is why he tends to let his gaurd down while gathering water.

Shiro is out in the desert looking for Keith, like his has been since Keith ran away.

It is by chance he spots Keith's hover bike out side of a cave, he parks his own hover bike beside it and cautiously enters the cave finding Keith.

Keith who is distracted, his eyes closed, his clawed hand on one of the stone carvings listening to the humming of the cave.

It is peaceful until Shiro calls out to him and he jumps three feet in the air and hisses.

So after they both had startled each other and Shiro stops laughing about how Keith reacted like a cat, they talk.

Keith reveals he isn't human, about how his mother is from space and she returned there for some reason.

About his father's death and being alone in the desert and not being able to trust humans enough to leave the desert for help or companionship.

Shiro in turn promises not to tell anyone about Keith or his mother and promises that even if Keith isn't human they are still friends.

They start hanging out again and Keith going back to regularly visiting town.

Shiro tells Keith he is going on a mission soon, he has been chosen to pilot a mission to the edge of their solar system.

Keith is amazed by this and slightly jealous, wishing he could go to.

But Keith knows he wouldn't get passed the health checks before he is sent off to a labratory and dissected.

He tells Shiro as much when Shiro tries to tell him he could go to space on day as well.

The time comes and Shiro leaves for his mission.

And the day Shiro is set to land on Kerberos, Keith heads to town and sees Shiro's face on the news.

Pilot error.

Keith doesn't go back to town after that.

The humming in the desert caves gets louder, it feels like the engine of his hover bike while in flight.

Like a ship's engine...

Keith takes more time exploring the desert cave systems.

If his mother visited earth, other aliens might have too, and might have left something behind.

Maybe even a ship or communicator!

His instincts tell him Shiro isn't dead.

His instincts tell him the humming in the desert are somehow important.

It's a whole year later when he deciphers the caves messages.

Today an arrival will happen.

That arrival is important and Keith is prepared.

Keith has adrenaline pumping through him as the ship falls into the atmosphere, he vibrates with it as he races to intercept.

The garrison arrive first unsurprisingly.

One distraction later and Keith storms the tent to find, Shiro.

The arrival was Shiro.

The rescue is interupted by three garrison cadets.

One of which seems to believe Keith should somehow know him, which is absurd.

He reluctantly allows them to hitch a ride and heads back to his shack after ditching the garrison tails.

It's when they get to the shack that the youngest cadet asks Keith if he is human.

(Pidge is observant they would notice point claws, purple eyes and fangs)

Keith growls under his breath before saying he is human but only part.

Hunk and Lance are somehow surprised by this.

Lance turns sceptic and Hunk turns fearful.

Pidge is of course thrilled and tries to interrogate Keith about aliens and space before Keith yells that he lived on earth his whole life.

Pidge is disappointed for a short while before deciding an alien hybrid is still interesting even if they don't have answers about other aliens or space.

Keith quickly gets overwhelmed but the trio and flees to the roof of the shack.

Keith only comes down when Shiro leaves the shack to watch the sunrise.

They have their reunion before moving back inside and the trio learns Shiro already knows Keith from before Kerberos.

They soon move on the follow the humming back to the caves, hunk and Pidge now having a device that can pinpoint the source, something Keith couldn't do.

They find Blue and launch into space, confront the incoming warship and lure it away from earth before fleeing through a wormhole.

Keith is still struggling to process he is in space now and that there is a war.

So they get to arus and Shiro makes the offhanded "my crew was abducted by aliens once-" and Keith side eyes him before he says "no offence" Keith snorts.

So the castle scanners at the entrance don't scan DNA (cause in canon they don't set off at Keith's presence or even the others who are a species the castle never encountered and therefore should react in some way) they check for translator chips and visual identification markers.

Since the crew looks mostly altean they let them through and since the castle doesn't sense translator chips it syncs the castle to work as one for them.

They arrive at the cryo-room and release the Princess and Coran.

They notice Keith's pointy ears (he isn't trying very hard to hide them anymore cause basicly everyone knows now, he also ditched the sunglasses and stopped filing his nails after Shiro vanished) and they mistake him for altean for a moment.

When they notice his other features they realize he isn't and ask him why he is different from the other paladins, leading to explain he is only half human and that he doesn't know what his other half is.

Keith starts to get his hopes up wondering if the alteans could find his other half so he could find his mom, but he is told the castle tech isn't designed to detect such subtle genetic markers.

It can identify species but not mixed species, even less likely to work with him being part human a species not in the database.

Fast forward.to after the lion retrieval, Voltron forming, robeast fight and castle takeover and lift off.

Keith has discovered the castle archives in his down time, more specifically the species database.

It is hit and miss cause he can't read the text, Pidge said something about working on a translator but that is still in the works.

So he is stuck scanning pictures instead.

There are alot of species similar to humans and with features like his own, it's hard to narrow down without knowing what his mother looks like.

All he knows is that she has his non human features.

He is frustrated very quickly and decides to take a break.

He runs into Shiro on the way back to his room.

It's strange being around Shiro since he got back, Shiro acts different, distances himself, Keith doesn't know how to close the gap.

Shiro greets him with a smile that doesn't fully reach his eyes and they chat for a bit, all empty small talk since Keith doesn't know how to confront the distance.

The conversation ends far too soon and Keith and Shiro go there separate ways.

Keith who was planning on changing into his armour and heading to the training room losing his motivation to train and turns instead to the lounge.

Lance is there with Coran.

Lance is friendly enough, but strangely competitive and seems to have some sort of issue with Keith that he can't quite figure out.

Coran on the other hand, Keith hasn't really spoken to the altean much, besides his excentricity there isn't much Keith picked up from him.

Coran seems to be telling Lance a story that Keith can't quite decide the validity of and Lance seems to be interested enough if not a bit lost.

Choosing not to interrupt Keith changes course to the lion hangers where he finds Pidge.

Pidge is likable enough in Keith's opinion, Keith hasn't fully grasp the concept of "non-binary" that they confessed themselves to be, but he is very out of touch with humanity.

Apparently many humans find issue with that sort of thing.

For some reason.

Keith never put much thought into gender or sexuality, maybe humans find it more important then his other half.

Keith shrugs off the strangeness of his known half of heritage and takes in what Pidge has done to the lion hangers.

They somehow set up several workstations and adapted alot of what appears to be altean, galran and even earth tech into the area in the short time they have been here.

The large ominously glowing crystal that the galra used to take over the castle sits on the desk beside them hooked up to several wires and cords.

Keith wasn't aware they kept it, it seems like something you'd want to get rid of, but apparently not.

Pidge doesn't look up or even acknowledge Keith's presence as he passes the Green lion's area, seemingly ingrossed in whatever project they seem to have adopted.

Keith moves into the Red lion's area, patting Red's muzzles when he crouches to open his jaws.

Settling into the pilot seat Keith settles down to the gentle humming that engulfs the cockpit.

It is like the Blue lion's humming but also completely different.

If he had to explain it, Blue is like water, cool and refreshing.

While Red is like fire, warm and comforting.

Both feelings are engulfing and protective in different ways.

Keith doesn't know why but it makes him miss the desert deeply, even when the desert was lonely, harsh and unforgiving.

It was home.

Keith's inner focus is disrupted by alarms calling everyone to the bridge.

Turns out there is a distress signal on route just between them and the balmera.

Hunk is reluctant, but they decide to help whoever it is.

It turns out to be rebel fighters surprisingly.

Keith is slightly disappointed neither alien has claws, fangs or cat eyes, but he keeps that to himself.

Turns out to have been a plot to steal a lion, which Lance falls for without fail, Keith ends up catching them in their escape.

They save the balmerans, fight a robeast, and revive the balmera.

Even though the balmera saves them in the end from the robeast.

The events continue to follow canon, Keith looking for aliens that look like him.

In this AU Krolia left her knife with Keith, but Keith's father died before he could give it to him, it sits under a floor board in the shack with other momentos including a photo of Krolia that Keith never found.

So Keith doesn't have a knife that ominously glows purple and has a galran symbol on it.

And galran hybrids always without exception are born with yellow eyes and purple skin/scales/fur so no one considers that to be his other half.

The others even begin to help his look for his other half.

Lance and hunk taking extra time to study any alien they meet to see if they have Keith's features.

Pidge developing a program to search the archives billions of species for a match, Keith spends long stretches of time sitting in the archive room watching the program slowly sift through billions of species hoping to find his.

Coran tell Keith about aliens that are similar to him only for them to be rejected by Pidge's program.

Allura being supportive because she and coran are the last of their kind and she knows Keith probably feels alone and lost as well.

And Shiro being as supportive as he can be while slowly coming to terms with his trauma and learning to cope and heal.

No one ever considers his other half is galra.

Not even Keith.

That is until they discover Ulaz and are lead to the blade of marmora head quarters.

Ulaz survives in this AU, and he leads them to the base after Shiro kicks Zarkon out of the astral plane.

Krolia told the blade about her son, a hybrid born pale pink without yellow eyes.

So when Shiro and Keith arrive, instead of being singled out about bringing a weapon, Keith is singled out as Krolia's son.

Both Shiro and Keith are in shock.

Shiro because his time as prisoner taught him all galra hybrids are purple, it is something the prisoners speak of "there is one sure way to spot a hybrid, it is in their yellow eyes and purple skin they inherit and can never hide"

Keith is shocked because all the signs he ignored are suddenly so obvious.

They are both also fearful of the implications this may have in the future, how the team will react.

Keith takes the trials to learn about his mother and ends up learning nothing and getting nearly beat to death.

But the rookie blade they gave him activates and changes to a sword before shifting back to a knife that isn't the same shape it originally took. (I head canon all the blades started with the same generic blades that changed when linking to their quintessence)

The ride back to the castle feels longer then the ride to the blade headquarters, Keith reflecting on his new knowledge.

When he sees his claws now, he will not think of his mother that his father spoke highly of, he will think galra.

When he sees his eyes in the mirror he will think galra.

When he sees his fangs in the mirror he will think galra.

He isn't just an alien anymore.

He is galra.

He wishes he never learned the truth.

Especially when he spoke those words to those he was beginning to see as family.

Especially when he saw the way they look at him now.

The way they speak to him now.

The way they don't speak to him.

As he settles down for bed that night, his shoulder throbbing to the beat of his pulse, he wishes he could go back.

Go back to before he knew and never ask again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \---note from prechapter---  
> Keith just happens to be the only galra in cannon that isn't purple (or pink or blue) and no one is sceptical about him being galra??? Really???
> 
> \----note from post chapter---  
> Oops, I ended it on a depressing note... But I can't say i hate it, kinda proud of this one even with the short cuts I took.


	74. Til the day you return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Shiro/Adam, Shiro&Keith, Adam&Keith, Sam&Keith, Matt&Keith, Pidge&Keith, Colleen&Keith, Child Keith, Kidfic, But Like A Really Sad Kidfic, Adopted Keith, Dad Shiro, Dad Adam, Grief, Adam Doesn't Know How To Handle His Feelings Well, Adam Doesn't Make The Best Decisions When He Is Hurting, Mourning, Abandonment, Sad, Implied Character Death, Canon Character Death

In which Keith is much much younger and was adopted by Shadam some time before Kerberos.

Everyone else is exactly the same, Keith is just 6 years old.

So Shiro happens to do alot of garrison speeches and charity event as the poster boy.

It is during one such charity event where Shiro is bringing publicity to an orphanage to raise donations for Christmas presents for the kids that Shiro meets Keith.

A quiet little kid off to the side avoiding everything and everyone.

Shiro plans to go over and speak to him but is distracted by the event and looks away to help with the fundraiser.

When Shiro remembers the kid he is no where to be seen.

It's later when the event is winding down and everyone is packing up that he sees Keith again.

Getting bullied by some older kids.

Shiro of course comes and intervenes.

The kids scatter, Keith included and Shiro goes to talk to the group home supervisor.

They are dismissive, saying they can only do so much and so on.

After that day Shiro visits regularly and gets to know Keith.

It leads to a discussion with Adam about fostering.

Adam doesn't want kids though, but eventually he gives in and they make the arrangements.

Keith of course is over the moon.

This will be Keith's first foster home, in this particular story he hasn't bounced around in care but stayed in the group home waiting, he is happy to get away from the other kids that are mean to him.

So Keith moves in with Adam and Shiro in their off campus home. 

They both have rooms at the garrison, but they also share a home away from the garrison they don't usually stay at due to working at the garrison.

Adam doesn't really warm up to Keith the same way Shiro does, but he isn't mean.

Adam makes sure both Shiro and Keith are taken care of, he is just more openly caring to Shiro.

Shiro on the other hand is completely endeared, he really really wanted to be a father, but with his illness didn't think he ever would.

Shiro and Adam have had disagreements before Keith came to be fostered by them, but have come to the decision not to argue around Keith.

Shiro's illness though is something they can't hide from Keith seeing as he lives with them.

The subject is tip toes around, sometimes Shiro is sick, sometimes Shiro is hurting, sometimes Shiro needs rest.

Keith becomes determined to be of help, refusing to let Shiro do work or leave bed when he is sick.

Adam is smug about this, seeing as he knows Shiro can't refuse Keith.

It's in the next year they decide to move forward with the adoption, Adam having dragged the process out with his disagreement.

Adam doesn't explicitly hate kids, but he does know Shiro isn't gonna live long and wants to spend what little time they have left together.

When that time comes, Adam will be left with Keith, a constant reminder of Shiro.

Adam doesn't know if he can raise Keith when Shiro is gone.

It's after the paperwork is filed that the news comes.

The garrison is looking for pilots for a new mission, a mission to the edge of the solar system that will be a year long round trip.

Shiro is on the list of potential pilots.

Adam finds out not through Shiro, but through the garrison and he isn't pleased.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but if Shiro leaves he might not make it back.

Adam is against it, he feels Shiro is trying to throw his life away.

The ensuing arguement escalates and Keith witnesses the break up.

Keith sees Adam leave and hears the news Shiro is leaving and starts crying.

He doesn't want to go back to the group home, he wants to stay with Shiro and Adam.

But Adam says he isn't coming back.

Eventually Shiro calms Keith down, promising him he will be coming back if he goes to Kerberos, that he wouldn't leave him alone.

Tells him Adam just needs time and it will be okay.

With Adam gone the paperwork stalls, the agency not willing to continue with the news Shiro is leaving the planet and Adam and Shiro aren't in a relationship anymore.

Keith starts hanging around with Shiro when he goes to work.

Shiro had been accepted as the pilot for Kerberos, so he has permission work and team building.

Keith gets to know Sam and Matt Holt, as well as Katie Holt who comes to the premission tests and training as well.

Neither Keith or Katie are allowed to be around the equipment or close to the training fields (as much as pidge tries) but they find ways to stay entertained.

Katie was apprehensive about hanging out with a little kid, but she warmed up to the idea when he showed interest in mechanics and flight.

Keith was still to young to completely understand it, but he went along with Katie in the hopes he could fly like Shiro one day.

An agreement was made at some point, Colleen became Keith's secondary gaurdian while Shiro went on his mission.

Whenever Keith couldn't go to the garrison with Shiro, he stayed at the Holt's home.

When the time came Keith begrudgingly packed him things to go-to the Holts.

Keith, Katie and Colleen all went to the launch to watch the crew leave for Kerberos.

In their goodbyes Shiro mad certain to remind Keith he was coming back in a year and that patience yields focus.

Keith was sad to see Adam didn't show, although Adam hadn't warmed up to him, he still saw Adam as part of the little family that was growing together.

Keith was downcast as he went back to the Holts.  
It's six months later that the Kerberos crew is announced dead, the mission lost due to pilot error.

Keith doesn't believe the news, he doesn't listen to anyone who tries to tell him.

Not the news, not the kids at school, not the teachers, no one.

With the news of Shiro's death and Adam still not returning to claim Keith, the agency comes to the decision to take custody of Keith.

This leads to Colleen fighting for Keith's custody.

Colleen eventually succeedful in becoming Keith's new foster mother.

Keith is less excited about being Colleen's foster then he was being Adam's and Shiro's.

Katie meanwhile has gotten herself banned from garrison property permanently.

Keith watches her storm to there room and lock herself inside.

It's a week later when she finally leaves her room with a new hair cut and Matt's glasses on her face.

She announces she will be called Pidge Gunderson and enrolling in the garrison.

It's soon after Pidge, Keith is having trouble remebering the name change, packs up and leaves for the garrison.

At this point Keith is beginning to resent the place, he feels he is getting left behind.

Its exactly a years after the news of Kerberos' loss that new news comes, this time over the phone, Pidge was lost during a drill.

She isn't coming back either.

It's after that that Keith begins to lose all hope that anything will get better, Shiro's isn't coming home, Pidge isn't coming home, Adam isn't coming home, nor Matt, nor Sam.

He can see the hope fading from Colleen's eyes as well as the garrison refuses time and time again to give her any information on anyone.

It's the day Keith turns thirteen when ships begin entering the atmosphere.

Keith and Colleen have been staying at the garrison since Sam miraculously returned and informed everyone that Shiro and the missing cadets all live.

But from where Keith stands as he watches earth slowly lose what little rebellion they had struck up against these aliens, he can't say he is feeling anything close to hope.

Behind the barrier where the garrison still stands is one of the only Haven's left on earth.

It is in this building he finally saw Adam again, the Adam who abandoned him and Shiro, who refuses to acknowledge either of them even existed.

It hurt, but Keith had long decided to stop putting faith in others.

There was little he could do to help, running supplies around base was the most he was allowed, in his free time he snuck into the simulators.

Technically he wasn't allowed to, but he did regardless.

If he could not rely on others, he would rely on himself.

Keith felt Shiro would rather be in space then come home, he didn't understand anything about Voltron or the war or why they had to stay away.

He understood less so with the galra at their doorstep and Voltron missing in action.

Keith had no idea what to do, and even less of what was going on.

No one tells children anything.

So when Voltron comes to earth he is the last to know.

It's when Keith is bringing a hover cart of supplies to the hanger that he realizes something was happening.

By then everyone had moved to discuss elsewhere.

But the giant color coded Lion ships weren't hard to miss.

He was quickly shooed from the hanger much to his protest to find out what is going on.

Keith books it to the war room instead and is denied entry there as well.

Inside Shiro is completely clueless that Keith is in the garrison.

So when the meeting ends and someone opens one of the doors and a scrawny teenager busts in, everyone is surprised.

Keith is yolked up by the gaurds the moment Shiro recognizes him and calls out, Keith...?

Shiro falls to his knees as Keith breaks out of the gaurds hold and barrels into him and starts bawling.

As some of the higher ups begin to protest the paladins get in their way.

Shiro told them all stories about Keith, his soon to be adopted son he was extremely worried about.

Shiro had feared Keith would get lost in the system while he was gone and he'd never see him again.

So the paladins are gonna of course defend the reunion with their lives.

Both Shiro and Keith are openly crying their eyes out, it has been years, so many long years.

Keith cries, you said you would come home in a year!

Shiro responded, I'm sorry I'm so sorry, I know I know.

And after that Keith refuses to let Shiro leave his side.

Unfortunately Shiro has to lead Voltron to save earth one last time, as Keith watches from the ground with apprehension.

The battle is won though not without injuries and casualties.

Keith doesn't learn until after shiro recovers that Adam did not survive.

Keith and Shiro both stand before the memorial wall, and stare at Adams name with grief.

Each feeling their own regrets of what they could have said or done before his loss.

It would take time.

Time to accept Adam's death.

Time to accept Shiro is very different from when he left earth, his scars and prosthetic speak volumes of traumas.

Time for Shiro to realize how much of Keith's life he missed and how much Keith has grown.

Time to rebuild earth, Time to end the war, Time to heal the wounds the war left behind.

As Keith watches the paladins take flight into space to stop the destruction of the multiverse, he can only hope they are granted time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (regurgitates this into AO3 and stares at it)
> 
> I both hate this and dont know how to fix it
> 
> I couldn't quite put the words into what I wanted around half way through and it just gets worse at the end.
> 
> I don't know if you were aware, but most of my recent chapters are typed directly into this site from my phone which leaves little flexibility...
> 
> And I lose my motivation for some towards the end and just throw whatever comes to mind into the textbox...
> 
> This one I only really planned out the beginning to which 
> 
> "Kid Keith gets taken in by Shadam, but Shadam are having relationship problems, Adam doesn't want adoption, the adoption doesn't go through just before Kerberos, Shiro promises he will come home, Adam doesn't take care of Keith when Shiro leaves, Shiro and the garrison trio shoot into space with blue and without Keith, and Keith waits a long time for him to come home"
> 
> That was the idea, but I didn't feel it would be right to leave the ending open like that and now I hate it.


	75. What is love (baby don't hurt me) (Klance?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith/Lance, Hanahaki, Aromantic Lance, Surgery, Unrequited Love, Angst, Deceit, Lance Is To Stuck In His Head To Understand What He Is Doing Is Wrong, Keith Is Suffering From Unrequited Love And Doesn't Understand Why

Hanahaki, the sickness born of one-sided affections.

There are only three cures,

To confess and have ones love required,

To move on and learn to love another,

And finally to receive surgery to remove the flowers from ones lungs.

Each option has its risks.

To confess is to run the risk of being unrequited, accelerate the sickness, and this is nearly always fatal.

To try and move on, hoping the love you grow for another can somehow outweigh the love that grows in your lungs.

And lastly surgical intervention.

This options is seen as an absolute last resort, to remove the flowers from your lungs is to lose all love from the sufferers, they more often then not never love another again.

There are of course stories of those who underwent the surgery and later in life discovered love again, reawakening the flowers from their lungs to suffocate them once more.

Many people believe in the stories that speak of full emotional recovery from Hanahaki surgery.

Lance is one of them.

At the age of thirteen he grew affections for a boy in his class at school, endlessly pining til the day the boy returned his feelings.

Lance was over the moon with joy, they dated for nearly two years.

Until the fateful day that boy chose another and lance was over come with grief.

The target of his affections now gone his lungs grew flowers.

And much to the dismay and grief of his family he could not bring himself to love another and nearly succumbed to his feelings.

The surgery was the last resort chosen.

And when Lance left the hospital feeling and emptiness that once swelled with feeling, he was devistated.

From that day onward Lance felt a distance from his family, feeling they had stolen the irreplaceable from him.

It took time to get used to it, to notice it.

To notice how people he usually found him self gravitating to with affection, to notice he no longer felt that toward anyone.

He wanted to feel it again.

Lance began to pretend, to "fake it til you make" as they say.

He became a flirt, a people person.

He made sure to put the extra effort to emote what wasn't there, and soon enough no one knew the truth.

Only Lance's family knew of his surgery.

And Lance made sure to keep it that way.

He made it his mission to put himself out there when he got accepted into the Garrison, to portray a confidence that was almost real.

He would choose people who were safe, people he thought could never love him and told himself he loved them.

At the garrison it almost wasn't Keith, but when the boy had shrugged off his offerings of friendship he decided.

He created the rivalry as an excuse to get Keith's attention to try and stir up something.

The more frustrated Lance got the more he felt it would work.

He wouldn't get worked up otherwise right?

Except, Keith disappeared, got expelled after the Kerberos announcement.

He lost his temper to one of the teachers.

Lance didn't know what to do then, he built up his bravado around a rivalry and the rival flew the coup.

He didn't know who could even fill that spot.

It was a year later when he finally saw Keith again and he decided to start off right where he left off.

But Keith didn't remember him.

The nerve!

Leave it to Keith to ruin a perfectly good rivalry by forgetting it completely!

But alot of other things got in the way, like finding and saving Shiro, diving off a cliff, finding out evil alien empires are real and getting shot into space in a giant blue lion.

It is alot to take in...

But there are some upsides it seems.

As the alien princess falls into his arms he smirks, what could be more untouchable then an alien space princess.

But of course the evil alien empire gets in the way.

It's weeks until they can finally get rest, between the battles, the flight training, the combat training, the practice drills, the getting the ship taken over by an evil purple alien while being half conscious because you were half knocked out by a bomb, saving a living planet that makes crystals and is home to rock people.

Lance really shouldnt have left his dorm that night...

All the chaos is making it really hard to develop feelings for untouchable princesses!

Although, teasing Keith has become a great way to disperse all the extra tension.

Lance completely gave up the plan to grow feelings for Keith after Keith forgot him back on Earth, but They could be friends.

Maybe.

While Lance has been focused on trying to regain the ability to feel romantic love, he never stopped to consider what would happen if someone feel in love with him.

Keith never truly forgot about Lance, he just happens to have troubles with details.

He knew a cocky blue eyed boy with a strong competitive spirit from the garrison.

What he forgot was the boys name.

He never considered the he would see him again, or that Lance would be offended he forgot his name.

Keith felt it was too late now to apologise though.

It seems as though Lance had turned his attention from Keith to Allura.

Which confuses Keith.

Allura disregarded Lance their first meeting far more harshly then Keith did at the garrison when they first met.

Yet Lance is far nicer to her.

It made Keith's chest feel tight, making a new habit of rubbing his sternum to relieve the ache.

It is months later when Keith notices Lance ease up with his open affections towards Allura.

And in this time the ache in his chest has become a normal thing.

He isn't and idiot, he knows what is happening.

Hanahaki is a dangerous sickness and it can start very young, everyone is taught the signs.

Keith is a blunt guy, a confrontational and straight forward guy.

Even if it took a few weeks to get up the courage, he seeks Lance out late one evening.

They are on far better terms then when this whole thing started, they have become somewhat friends.

So when Keith steps into the observation deck Lance doesn't say a word.

They watch the star hologram charts, Lance not taking his eyes off of Earth.

It's in the quiet of the room that Keith confesses to Lance.

Lance freezes.

Keith's on the other hand does something he hoped he wouldn't do, he rambles.

And as Keith rambles avoiding looking at Lance.

A thought comes to Lance, A thought that he should tell Keith it's mutual.

And he does before he can think it through.

The flirting and pretending and projecting empty feelings has gotten him no closer to fixing what the surgery has done to him.

So he decides to accept the feelings Keith is willing to give in hopes of growing some of his own.

The very next day everyone knows.

Turns out Shiro is a gossip, when Keith went to him with the good news Shiro couldn't keep it to himself.

And Lance though hunk was bad...

Keith tries to apologise, he looks so embarrassed at breakfast as he mumbled the apologies under his breath to Lance, Lance told him not to worry about it.

Lance learned that pretending to be a loving partner wasn't as hard as he had assumed.

Keith's was blunt, but really shy with his affections and didn't require any big shows of affection.

Lance just had to play the part and Keith showed no signs of doubting it.

Keith on the other hand was confused.

He had confessed to Lance and his affections had been returned.

He chalked up the continued ache in his chest as the Hanahaki taking it's time to fade.

He didn't grow concerned until a few month later when a cough nearly choked him at lunch.

It was only a small cough, he didn't even cough up petals.

But the ache in his chest along with the cough were both growing signs of Hanahaki getting worse not better.

As Keith and Lance laid to bed that night sharing a bed as they had for the last few weeks, Keith couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

As every night Lance kisses Keith goodnight and mumbles affections into the kiss, making Keith's chest ache.

And when Lance's breathing slows, Keith sneaks out of bed to the training deck as he has for many nights before.

(That is the whole premise,

Lance a Hanahaki survivor who had surgery as a teenager and now lost his ability to feel romantic love tries to anyway without considering the harm it might cause in the process, Keith who fell for Lance begins to develop Hanahaki and when he confesses to Lance and is told it's mutual does not get better.

I don't know how to end this...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear,
> 
> Keith doesn't instantly get worse because Lance does not outright tell Keith he doesn't love him, so Keith's Hanahaki continues on as it would have if Keith never confessed.
> 
>  
> 
> Also,
> 
> I don't really intend to portray Lance out to be heartless and evil in this, he isn't, he had felt love so strongly in youth that is nearly killed him and his family signed off him for a surgery that prevented him from ever feeling love that strongly ever again, he resents his family for that and is desperate to regain his ability to feel romantic love, as time passes he forgets to consider the feelings of others.
> 
>  
> 
> So, Keith will discover Lance had surgery in the past, most like by accident through castle Syfy magic (cryopods, mindmelds, ect) and will succumb to his Hanahaki forcing the alteans to put him into a cryosleep to save him, at this point lance will either grow feelings for Keith, the alteans will have some kinda of cure for Lance and Keith, or he just doesn't grow love for Keith and regardless he will learn how wrong his actions were, how devistating they were.


	76. Two years gone by

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith&Kosmo, Major Character Death, Isolation, Loneliness, Selective Mutism, Grief, Mourning, Alien Wilderness Survival, Space Whale, Quantum Abyss

The extraction didn't go as planned.

The agent, Krolia, had to stay behind to ensure the weapon destroyed itself.

Before that though, she had taken the time to ask Keith to forgive her, much to Keith's confusion.

It was in the chip that she had slipped Keith during the that moment that Keith later found clarified her actions.

His mother.

He had lost his mother again and didn't even realize til she was already gone.

It devistated him.

He almost wanted to abandon the mission, but kept on going.

Soon finding himself stranded in an abyss so unlike anything he has witnessed before in his time in space.

He found himself stranded on the back of a whale like beast that was so massive it held its own atmosphere.

And the time that was granted him gave him no escape to his grief.

He screamed and yelled and felled beast after beast that became attracted by the noise until he stopped screaming all together.

He didn't speak after that.

There was no one to talk to anyway.

Until there was.

A small pup, a wolf like beast with fur like space itself.

When he was unable to coax the pup with quiet alone he used his tired worn voice to.

The pups very presence changed things after that.

He responded best to quiet coaxing, Keith would spend nights quietly speaking to the pup, while days were spent in silence.

The pup grew over time.

Required less coaxing, but Keith still spoke quietly to him, told him stories about his life, his friends, his adventures, his fears.

Out on this alien whale in this strange stretch of space each other's company was all they had.

Keith sometimes hoped the wolf would speak to him in return, he could see intelligence in the wolf's eyes as he listened to Keith speak, as he understood.

Keith wished he could be satisfied with that alone.

The truth was he was lonely.

He missed his friends, he missed Voltron.

The visions didn't help, they made him more lonely as they reminded him of what he missed.

They reminded him of his old team, of kolivan, of Krolia.

That last vision devistated Keith again, leaving him to not speak a word for nearly three weeks.

The wolf stayed by his side regardless, sat by Keith's side as he sat silently before the fire when he would normally speak of memories.

And Keith was greatful.

Two years passed like this.

In this strange place of lonely isolation.

As that second year came to a close Keith and his wolf understood this time on this whale in this strange abyss was coming to a close.

Keith couldn't decide if he was prepared for what's to come, but when the wolf makes it clear he will follow Keith anywhere, he feels alittle more assured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really put as much focus on Keith grieving for Krolia because he doesn't really know her, he only knows he had a mother and suddenly she's dead and he didn't have a chance to prevent it. He is less grieving for Krolia herself and more for the concept of the mother he wished he had in his life and devistated for an agent he failed to save, like many others in the blade he failed to save. 
> 
> He doesn't know her personally enough to be hurt severely beyond those things, it's hard to mourn a stranger, it's not hard to mourn an old wound reopened.
> 
> .
> 
> As for his trauma from two years of isolation? That will bleed into canon events definitely.
> 
> Although he has Kosmo, Kosmo is still an animal incapable of speech, he might as well be taking to himself.
> 
> Kosmo was definitely a crutch to prevent the trauma of full isolation, which is a very harmful thing.
> 
> It will lead to strong codependency, as Kosmo was what helped Keith cope and Keith is all Kosmo knows.


	77. I've still got time (Sheith)(Allurance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Shiro/Keith, Lance/Allura, Missions, Wedding, Post Canon, Fluff, The Incredibles Fusion, But Only One Scene, Allura Lives

In which the atlas picks up an emergency distress signal the morning of Keith and Shiro's planned wedding.

Everyone is on board the atlas for the wedding so they decide they won't have to postpone because the extra man powers can complete the mission with time to spare.

Basicly everyone splits up and including Keith and Shiro, to take out a bunch of pirates through out an alien city.

Shiro is very laid back about it cause the pirates are amature and he is over the moon about the wedding that will be held afterwards.

He runs into Keith who has taken down a pirate he was targeting and Keith smirks at him and says, Captain.

To which Shiro responds, Paladin.

They banter for a bit before Keith runs off to fight more pirates and Shiro goes after the other pirates.

Running into Lance and Allura who are tag teaming a group of pirates, the couple makes an offhand comment about Shiro's laid back attitude saying, don't you have somewhere to be?

Shiro chuckles and says, I've still got time.

The battle drags out nearing the time for the wedding, Shiro is the last to make it back to the atlas and rushes to get into dress.

Allura chuckles at him, you're late.

Shiro chuckles back and rushes into the Hall only to slow at the door when he spots Keith's at the end of the isle.

When he gets to the alter Keith and Shiro banter, Keith saying Shiro has gotten so old and grey he is losing his touch.

Coran who is officiating the wedding clears his throat with a fond smile and tells them to kiss.

They kiss.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basicly Sheith is getting married and the day the wedding is planned they get a distress call and everyone rushes to finish the mission so the wedding won't be postponed and Shiro isn't very worried about the time.


	78. My garden fairy (Heith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Hunk/Keith, Fairy Keith, Chef Hunk, Restaurant, Garden, Keith Owes Hunk A Debt, Hunk Doesn't Want Anything, Keith Likes Marbles

It's not unusual as one would assume, fairies living in modern cities.

Keith wasn't a born urban fairy though, he was born and raised within nature.

When his last remaining family moved on, he chose to go south to the human cities.

As a fairy born away from humans, he tended to be ignorant of the dangers of the city to fairies.

He learned the basics pretty fast.

City humans never sleep, there is little time to fly out in the open when humans are always awake and aware.

Cars aren't safe even when parked, Keith didn't consider how dangerous of a trap the inside of one of these machines became when humans came to awake them.

Humans carry strange devices that have eyes and ears of their own and can somehow share memories with others. (Phones, cameras, ect)

There is very little nature and it tends to be spread vastly apart in patches called parks, these are flooded with humans during the day.

Keith has gotten into many close calls in his first month alone, even received scars as a result of a few of them. (He was under the hood of a car when it started and got hurt)

He doesn't plan on tucking his wings and giving up though.

Keith is stubborn.

He picks up on what is dangerous and learns caution above curiousity.

But old habits die hard.

Fairies born far from human civilization develop habits that urban fairies do not.

One of which is an attraction to shiney things.

Keith is having difficulty breaking the habit of collecting such things.

It's that, that gets Keith into trouble.

It was early, before sunrise, when Keith finds it is safest to fly.

He has his eyes peeled for dangers, but also shiney treasures to bring home.

The shiniest things are found near human places, they drop them carelessly, wastefully.

No matter, just makes it easier for Keith.

Something shiney catches his eye, a jar of glass, small glass stone orbs rest at the bottom of it.

Keith immediately focuses in on then.

Glass stones that are perfectly round are rare, human made and coveted.

And here they sat, unprotected on a sill.

Keith darts quickly to the jar, eyes cautiously darting around as if the human who owns them will appear to attack him.

But there is no humans around, the human home is dim without light and quiet.

Keith lands beside the jar and looks through the glass admiring all the colorful stones.

It would be difficult to bring many home, he could only carry one, maybe two home.

He flutters his wings and darts around the jar trying to decide which to take.

There are green-yellow stones that look like they hold waves, pale green which look like frozen water complete with frozen bubbles, pure purple and black which is much larger then the rest.

He wouldn't be able to carry the last one with another, he decides again it.

A red one catches his eye, swirled with yellow similar to how the wave stone looked, but the colors are more like fire then water.

Keith needs that one.

He hovers above the jar considering the side of the jar entrance.

It is smaller then his wings span, it would be impossible to fly in and out.

But the jar isn't very tall, he could jump from the stones to the rim and climb out when needed.

Keith nods to himself and carefully folds his wings after settling on the edge, sliding inside.

The jar wobbles on the sill where it sits, it's not quite stable on the ledge.

Keith holds his balance on the round stones with some difficulty while the jar settles, he will have to be careful.

The red stone is under a few other so he has to move them around and balance them on the other side of the jar to prevent them from rolling back onto the red on re burying it.

Keith doesn't notice that unbalances the jar further.

When he claims the red stone and turns to climb back out, his weigh shift tips the jar.

He trips over as the stones roll out from under him and leave the jar, Keith curses as the red stone falls from his grip as he tries to rebalance.

In the end the jar tumbles off the sill with Keith tumbling within, the exit has imbedded itself into the soil trapping Keith inside.

Thankfully, Keith is mostly shaken and not injured.

Not thankfully, Keith has no idea how to get out.

He can't spread his wings, the jar is too heavy to life and it will be humans active hours soon.

Quiznak.

...

It's early when Hunk gets down to the restaurant, he starts preparing for the open hours with some quick cleaning.

Wiping down the tables and counters, quickly cleaning any mess missed by the night staff.

One of which seems to be the waste bin in the staff room, which is nearly full and still in the waste basket.

Hunk sighs and gathers the bag tying it off before leaving it by the back door, he will take it out after collecting anymore leftover trash from the night staff.

After finishing that off he gathers the garbage and head out the back door to the dumpster.

It's quick and easy and doesn't take more then a few minutes before he is turning to return inside.

It's when Hunk is facing the door when he notices it, the sill is empty.

Hunk had gotten a jar and placed it on the sill after learning of one of his staffs habit of placing marbles on the kitchens outer sill, a superstition of sorts to attract good luck.

The jar was to keep the marbles from rolling off the sill, which they had the habit of doing cause of the slight incline.

It seems the jar didn't prevent them from falling after all, when he sees it an the ground with the marbles scattered around it.

He sighs, Lance is gonna make a fuss.

It's when he gets closer he notices the jar isn't empty, there is something inside.

It takes him a moment to process what he is seeing.

A small person, a small person in a little red dress? 

It looks more like a long shirt, it has a belt around the small persons waist, maybe a tunic?

The tiny person, man?, Was currently backed to the glass as if trying to distance himself.

Hunk is starting to doubt he ever made it out of bed this morning.

...

Keith has fucked up, completely utterly fucked up.

That's the conclusion he comes to as he ticks his wings tight behind his back pressing his back painfully to the glass of his prison.

The one and most important thing all fairies know is humans should not know of them, because humans are dangerous.

Not only has Keith been seen, but he was as good as caught, with no way out.

The human was enormous, towering over the jar.

His body language was almost fearful and cautious as he approached.

Keith's wings shivered behind him, almost as if trying to fly when there is nowhere to go.

The last thing Keith expected is was for the human to introduce himself, Hunk.

Introduce himself and claiming everything was alright, claiming he will bring Keith no harm.

Which is of course absurd.

At least Keith thought so, until the human, Hunk, lifts the jar away freeing him.

Keith doesn't hesitate to spread his wings and gain some height and distance.

The contrast in size standing on the ground creates highly unnerves Keith.

Making it hard for him to forget all the stories told about humans strength and cruelty.

Hunk seems to brighten with no small amount of awe in his expression at the sight of Keith flying.

As Keith opens his mouth to thank Hunk the humans home door opens and another voice sounds.

Keith uses that as his cue to make himself scarce.

He makes his escape while an unknown humans squawks about marbles, whatever those are.

...

Hunk is in a daze for most of the day.

After Lance had seen his lucky marbles scattered across the ground he decided that the sill was anti luck and there was no saving it.

By the time lance returned inside, Hunk had turned to find the fairy nowhere in sight.

Fairy, he had found a fairy in Lance's marble jar.

That was nearly ten hours ago, he had so much trouble focusing on the kitchen Shiro had shooed him to rest promising he wouldn't be doing any cooking himself.

Hunk had moved up to the roof after getting restless sitting around.

He has been tending the rooftop garden since then.

...

Keith returns to Hunk's home at a time when he would normally be out of sight, choosing to fly higher to avoid detection.

It's a risk he knows, but he has sworn to thank the human for helping him.

When Keith completely expected cruelty.

When he gets to Hunk's home he is surprised, the roof is green, lush with plant growth.

While the roofs all around are bare, his is rich worth life.

Keith flys down to the garden, weaving down and around the plants, admiring their vibrancy.

They are so strong, healthy and diverse.

Many are flowering soon to produce fruits or vegetables in bounty, many more already ripe with things like tomatoes, beans, squash, ect.

Many plants growing within the garden are plants he has never seen before.

He is so distracted he doesn't notice the garden is occupied.

Keith is startled when Hunk speaks, saying, you came back...

Keith who has darted behind a fruit vine peeks back out and relaxes when he sees it is Hunk and flys out of hiding.

Keith shys away from Hunk's bright expression of awe, saying, yeah, I wanted to thank you.

He builds up confidence and moves closer, thank you for helping me, I am not sure what I can do to repay you.

Hunk blinks and says, no no you don't have to repay me, I was just doing the right thing.

Keith scoffs, not everyone would have freed me as you had, I am greatly in your debt, I'd like to help you in return.

And hunk just says he doesn't really want anything.

After they talk for a bit and Keith realizes Hunk really doesnt have anything he wants, he decides to stay and live in Hunk's garden til he decides how to repay him.

Fairies have the unconscious effect of enriching plants simply by being near them, so Keith unknowingly blesses Hunk's garden making his food better.

Hunk eventually realizes Keith got stuck because he wanted a marble, likes shiney things and starts giving him shiney things and Keith panics thinking about having to get Hunk things in return.

In the end Keith doesn't figure out what to get from Hunk, not noticing that him helping the garden with his fairy aura, keeping pests away from the garden, helping Hunk introduce new plants and helping them thrive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The garden fairy fic I said I'd build on basicly.
> 
> Now I must sleep.


	79. Alone, Not alone?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith&Shiro, Human Experimentation, Dehumanization, Cages, Muzzles, Needles, Surgery Mentions, Burns, Brief Hints of Starvation, Reference To Murder, Someone Tampers With Shiro's Arm

Keith wakes up alone.

Locked in a cold claustrophobic metal cage, wearing thin pale blue scrubs, with bright fluorescent lights that never go out.

Keith shifts hissing under his breath when the movement pulls onto fresh burns that line his inner arms beneath white bandages.

He knows if he looks beneath the bandages he will see orderly rows of purposefully lined burns in various stages of healing.

Soon to scar, joining the many fresh burns scars left on his arms and chest.

His chest aches as he backs into the back corner of his cage, the false sense of security it brings is a weak comfort.

It has been a long time since Keith has been here, he regrets stealing that garrison guys car that visited his school all those years ago.

He was caught by the police not soon after.

Instead of being sent to juvie like he had been expecting, he was questioned, about his knife given by his father.

Keith didn't know anything and they didn't believe him.

They had taken him here, locked him up, questioned him endlessly, going as far as to hurt him for answers.

Eventually they stopped asking, Keith hoped that meant they'd let him go, it didn't.

They stopped asking, but the pain only began.

Whatever they found from the poking and tests made them treat Keith different.

They stopped talking to him beyond demands and orders, no matter how much he demanded to know what was going on.

As a reaction to his constant yelling and panic they introduced a muzzle during tests.

It was tight and covered half his face making breathing a struggle, Keith quickly got the message to keep quiet.

He noticed they stopped referring to him by name, calling him subject alius, referring him to an "it".

The tests, as they called them, were little more then torture.

Some easier on Keith then others, they started small.

Taking blood, skin, hair, ect samples, leaving Keith alone for days while they studied them, only returning once and a while to get more samples.

But soon the tests escalated.

Dragging Keith to a small room of gym equipment and forcing him to run on a treadmill or lift different levels of weight.

Slowly upping the difficulty to unbearable, while speaking amongst themselves and writing notes.

The surgeries Keith hated the most, they would come to collect him from his prison, prickingg him withh a needle that would make him black out.

He would wake later sore and aching in his cage with stitches, the knowledge they had cut him open and that there was nothing he could do about it.

Currently they were interested in scaring and burn wounds, leaving various types on his skin over time to observe them as they heal.

Keith curls, resting his head on his knees, he needs a distraction again.

Silently he recites all the stars and constellations his father and him once recited together in the evenings while his father still lived.

Before Keith was alone.

As he quietly recites the stories that tie the stars together into constellations he slowly lulls himself to sleep.

...Elsewhere...

Three garrison cadets are watching a ship enter the Earth atmosphere at alarming speed.

In a moment of recklessness they decide to investigate.

By the time they arrive the garrison officials have already secured a quarantine of the site.

The youngest is not dissuaded by this and uses their portable computer to hack the surveillance feed.

What is revealed is the missing and presumed dead pilot of the Kerberos mission!

Unfortunately, the cadets lack the means to rescue him at this moment, even if they secure a getaway vehicle.

All the higher officials are teachers that would recognize them on sight and out number them by far.

The cadets decide not to give up, they observe as the officials sedate Shiro and prepare to transport him.

The youngest cadet showing technical prowess in locking onto a local satellite in which to use to lock onto the vehicle Shiro is being transported in so they can learn their destination.

The cadets soon learn Shiro is being transported not to the garrison base but the opposite direction, to an area none of them were aware of.

The garrison have a separate base, which appears to be top secret and not on the map.

With this information the cadets withdrawal to make plans.

...Back to Keith...

Keith has been alone for awhile.

Which is unusual.

Since the burn tests began they have come for him fairly regularly to poke and prode at his burns and scars.

Have they gotten bored?

Keith is apprehensive, eating the rations left for him while watching the door.

If they gave up with the burns would they go back to surgeries? Or find something new to do?

Keith recalls them speaking before about breaking his bones in the past.

He had broken his arm once, he can't remember it clearly but he knows it hurt alot.

He hopes they don't decide to break his bones next...

It's four days, seven rations, later when something finally happens.

He stiffens and backs into the bars of the cage when the door opens on the other side of the room.

He had finished his first rations of the day not to long ago, it's too early for more.

But instead of coming to his cage they open a cage two cages down from his own, behind them they drag a man who is out cold.

His hair two toned, black and white.

His arm wrapped in bandages hanging unnaturally from his shoulder, but Keith can't pinpoint what about it is unnatural.

He is dressed in the same pale scrubs as Keith, leaving him little modesty, his figure is very muscular.

Keith wonders how the scientists over powered the man.

Keith flinches when the cage is closed on the man and watches the scientists apprehensively as they take their leave.

They don't return.

Keith turns his attention back to the man, a single cage separates them.

This man has to be the reason the Keith has been left alone so long.

Was he Keith's replacement? Would they dispose of Keith now they have a new test subject?

Keith pushes his head back into his knees and aggressively recites constellations and stars in his head to prevent himself from dwelling on that possibility.

He finds himself looking to the other cage often though, even after the final rations of the day arrive, they don't bring the new man any.

...

The next day they come for Keith.

They haven't given up on the burning experiment it seems.

They speak amongst themselves as usual, Keith tries to tune them out, but something catches their attention.

They mention a subject superstes.

Was that the man?

They called Keith subject alius, never anything else, superstes must be the other man.

Keith is quickly distracted by a hot metal rod burning against his inner arm, he chokes on his thoughts as they hold it to his skin.

He returns to trying to tune them out and cope with the new burn.

...

They rebandage his arm and escort him back to his cage, it is slow going as Keith is worn out for the fresh pain.

The man is awake when they get to the containment room.

Banging on his cage and yelling desperately.

Keith flinches at the noise not quite comprehending the words yet.

His escorts are quick to drag Keith to his cage and lock him in despite his unsettlement.

Keith shifts back against the back of his cage, the scientists moving to the other man's cage.

When Keith looks his eye meets the other man, now he can see his face it seems familiar, but he can't remember from where...

Keith watches the man's attention return to the scientists while they give him the standard warnings.

Keith knows these warnings, don't make noise, don't bang the cage, don't make things difficult.

Keith hunches in his place remembering the punishment for not being compliant.

The man doesn't calm down and Keith watches as they sedate him and drag him away.

He doesn't return that day.

...

It's four days later Keith and the man at both awake at the same time.

He had been muzzled when he returned after his sedation.

Keith wished he could have warned him, warned him of how this place is.

Now as he groggily wakes in his cage as Keith watches with apprehensive curiosity.

The rations for the morning have been delivered, the man got none again, probably a punishment.

He couldn't eat with a muzzle even if they gave him rations...

Keith nibbles as the man slowly gets his barrings, the sedative they use is not to be taken lightly.

He blinks at the bright lights groaning when he realizes he is still muzzled.

His eyes eventually find Keith who freezes.

He is not used to people making eye contact, no one has acknowledged him since he got here so long ago.

Keith hunches his shoulders feeling exposed for some reason.

The man seems to study him, there is a strange recognition in his eyes, a weird emotion there Keith can't recognize.

The man stiffens and Keith flinches when the door opens and the scientists enter.

For a moment Keith thinks they will take the man with how they watch him with consideration, but they turn their focus on Keith and approach.

It is too early, he hasn't finished his rations, he knows they won't be here when he is returned to his cage.

Keith backs up, finding himself already as far as he can go, before remembering it's pointless.

The man two cages down bangs on his cage words muffled behind his muzzle, but it does nothing.

Keith is collected and the man sedated.

... Elsewhere...

It takes some time for the youngest cadet to hack into the garrisons classified servers.

Whatever that secret base is it was buried deeper then anything else the garrison was hiding.

Deep enough it took weeks to get in.

And what they find is terrifying.

Human Experimentation.

Millions of tests going as far back as the garrisons founding pre world war III.

All subjects ending in termination, most likely killed when the garrison found them no longer useful.

Going through dozens of files the cadets find out there are still living subjects being subjected to these tortures at the hands of the garrison and maybe even some of the teacher they see everyday.

There are two.

Subject Alius.

Subject Superstes.

The later most likely to be Shiro given how recent the files are and how little info is within.

Seemingly just copies of his medical history and observations and tests on his prosthetic arm.

The former though, appears to have been a victim for far longer, maybe even years given how extensive their files are.

Including many physical and endurance tests, as well as a alarming amount of surgeries.

The older cadet hunched over the youngers should clicks one of the files, opening a folder of images.

It takes a moment to realize what it is.

It is several photos taken over time to create a time lapse of burns in various stages of healing, each photo has a new burn added to the persons skin.

The third cadet back away from the screen looking queasy.

The rescue mission has become more urgent.

The cadets prepare to make their move.

... Back to Keith...

Keith had blacked out during the latest test.

The scientists deciding on a larger instrument to burn Keith, the new burn far larger than those on his arm and chest.

The had chosen his shoulder of his dominant arm making it far harder to ignore.

When he wakes up in his cage he finds the cold slightly relieving as he lays on the bare metal.

He hisses though when the pain lights at the movement he made to get more comfortable.

"Hey"

Keith starts at the sound of a sudden voice, yelping when his burns move and rub against their bandages.

He eyes darting wildly before settling on the only other occupied cage.

The man is muzzleless again.

Keith just stares at him wide eyed.

The man introduces himself as Shiro.

The name vaguely familiar, like his face, but Keith still can't place it.

Shiro asks for Keith's name, but when Keith opens his mouth no words come out.

It's been so long since he had someone to speak to, even before this place kids only acknowledged Keith to taunt him.

The man doesn't seem discouraged by Keith's lack of response and continues to talk.

Keith is startled by his lack of questioning, he doesn't ask Keith about this place or what this place is.

He doesn't ask Keith why he is here or who he is.

Instead he tells Keith about himself.

A pilot, a former pilot for the garrison.

Keith had heard of the garrison, so long long ago when his father was still alive he dreamed of going there to become a pilot himself and reach the constellations his father taught him about.

Shiro tells him he was the greatest pilot of the garrison, so great they chose him for the Kerberos mission.

A mission to go father then any pilot has gone before him.

Keith murmured Pluto's moon silently on his lips, as Shiro told him about how he made it to the moon.

With two scientists by his side.

Keith hunches in on himself at the mention of scientists, and how Shiro knew some personally.

Shiro hesitates.

He tells of how something found them on Kerberos, told of how he was taken with the scientists.

Aliens.

Keith furrows his brows, the scientists mentioned aliens alot, they even talked as if ekith himself was somehow alien.

Shiro doesn't stop talking to give time to Keith think more on it.

He talks about how his memories are foggy and blurred and blank.

How he doesn't know how but he escaped the aliens and foudnbus way back to earth.

How it lead him here.

At this point their attention returned to their current predicament.

Keith opens his mouth several time silently, before his voice breaks on his name, Keith.

Shiro simply says, it's nice to meet you Keith.

... Elsewhere...

The cadets have made their plans and are following them through.

The largest has hot wired a getaway vehicle, the lanky one waving around a stun rifle, the smallest taking control of the garrison network to create a path.

The garrison not expecting to be infiltrated by three young cadets, aren't prepared for it.

The cadets easily slip in through the gapes in security created by the surgery breach the youngest created.

The lanky one doing their part to stun anyone who crosses their path.

The largest nervously stuffs the unconscious bodies into closets and offices out of sight.

Following the map the youngest aquired they quickly find the containment room.

...Back to Keith...

At the sound of the door Keith backs into the bars of his cage, Shiro stiffens watching the door like a hawk.

Instead of scientists though, three teenagers brust through.

Shiro gawks at them and Keith looks behind them trying to grasp what is happening.

They all exclaim "Shiro!" And dash to his cage, Keith flinches against his cage watching them wide eyed.

They were loud both in voice and in presence and Keith didn't know how to feel about that.

His eyes kept darting to the door as they conversed with Shiro.

It takes them no to at all the open Shiro's cat and help him out.

Keith watches as they rapidly introduce themselves and talk about the garrison and escape.

Are they leaving? Can they do that?

Keith crawls to the cage door grasping the bars and staring at them.

At the sound of Keith moving they remember he is still locked in a cage and all move to his cage.

Keith flinches back in response of the sudden movement and noise.

Just like with Shiro's cage his own is quickly opened and a hand is reaching in.

Keith doesn't move.

Four people crowd the door to his cage, only one he knows and he only knows them barely.

After a moment of ruckus Shiro convinces the other people to back away as he kneels before the cage.

He speaks softly when he asks Keith if he wants to escape, wants to leave this place and never return, to be free.

Keith stares wide eyed.

It had been so long ago when Keith still considered escape possible, when he imagined his missing mother returning from wherever it was she left to and saving him from this place.

He gave up that hope so long ago, the hope that it was even possible to leave.

Keith stares at Shiro's hand, and back up at his face.

"You promise?"

"I promise"

Keith takes his hand and Shiro pulls him from the cage he has known as his own for so long.

The escape is successful.

And Shiro keeps his promise, Keith never sees the inside of a cage ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got this idea after rereading "disinfection" by SilenceIsGolden15
> 
> Go read that, it's a good fic!
> 
>  
> 
> Man I was like 3/4ths finished with this and I almost accidentally deleted it, I would have cried so loud...


	80. The Demon's Heir (Klance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Lance/Keith, Keith&Pidge, Lance&Hunk, Allura&Shiro, Pidge&Hunk, Demon Keith, Prince Keith, Dwarf Hunk, Goblin Pidge, Paladin Shiro, Human Shiro, Elf Allura, Queen Allura, Cat Hybrid Lance, Fantasy Setting, RPG Setting, Demons, Monsters, Magic, NonHuman Races, Fantasy Racism, Elves, Dragons, Animal Hybrids, Dwarves, Goblins, Royalty, The Galra And The Marmora Are Separate Demon Royal Families, The Galra Were Overthrown By Marmora

The marmora are the demon kingdom that overrun the galra king and became the new demon government.

Keith is the demon prince who will become the new king and his crowning is talked about all across the land.

Fearing the demons will unite under this new king the elven Queen Allura sends out paladin Shiro to search for a way to stop the new demon king from being crowned.

Lance is a catfolk rogue and his friend Hunk a dwarven apprentice Smith.

Hunk has settled down into the capital city under a master Smith, meaning he and Lance can no longer take jobs together as Hunk wants experience in smithing.

Lance bored and looking for new jobs is having trouble, as many good jobs require multiple people.

Luckily for Lance, Shiro needs a rogue to help him on his mission to find the soon to be demon king.

So Lance and Shiro team up.

Keith, the soon to be demon king, doesn't want to be king.

So he and his childhood friend a goblin named Pidge run away, taking a journey out of the demon kingdom.

Both pidge and Keith must wear hoods to hide their faces, as demons have horns and yellow eyes, and goblins have green skin.

No one knows what the demon king to be looks like though, the only way to recognize him would be to see his knife which has the royal marmora crest on it, Keith's keeps the crest covered.

On the journey both Pidge and Keith face prejudice.

Goblins are seen as nothing more then monsters and demons seen as only evil.

During such an incident when Keith and Pidge are refused a room in an traveler inn, Shiro and Lance happen to be in the inn and intervene.

They eventually join together, although they distrust each other, they don't tell each other their reasons for traveling.

During their travels they are joined by Hunk who left his apprenticeship for undisclosed reason, he and Pidge come to a understanding and create a bridge to the two groups.

After that tensions decreased.

Lance and Keith build up a more friendly rivalry and take on local jobs together.

Pidge and Hunk sharing what they know of enchanting, smithing and magic together.

Meanwhile Shiro distances himself for his mission to learn of the demon heir, he has told no one of his mission.

At some point a misunderstanding rises.

Rumours talk about the new demon king is going to be the old king Zarkons own son.

Keith and Pidge are confused and worried by this, because they didn't consider a demon from the old galra regime to try and regain a grip on the kingdom.

So they all fit out Shiro's mission and everyone supports him.

The group finds themselves in the front lines of a fight to stop the rise of the old galra regime.

After fightingn galra after galra they face Lotor himself.

In the end the other are over come and can't continue, while Keith is the only one still able to keep up.

This is when they realize Keith is demon royalty.

He tears the fabric off his blade and activates it's magic turning it into a demon blade.

Lotor realizes who Keith is too and now wants to kill Keith who he sees as the only thing keeping him from taking the throne.

Keith of course wins when the others gather their strength to distract Lotor from striking a crippling blow.

Marmora guards arrive too later to help with Lotor but not too late to help Keith and team.

They are brought back to the demon capital as heroes and are given healing.

Keith is crowned demon king during the celebration.

Shiro realizes he has to return to Allura with the news about the demon kingdom.

Lance is still in shock he has been dating a prince and never knew it.

Pidge helps Hunk get settled into the demon capital showing him all that the demon's crafts have to offer.

And that's the end.


	81. Til I see you again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The black lion's astral plane is just one of five planes in which the Lions have.
> 
> Tags-  
> Allura/Lance Hinted, Past Shiro/Keith Hinted, Major Character Death, Afterlife, Reincarnation, Astral Plane, Allura's Sacrifice, Freak Lab Accidents, Assassination, Immortal Lance, Suicide

After Shiro was brought back from the astral plane no one really thought about it ever again.

There were many distractions, so even if they had a chance to question it they never did.

Life after death was the farthest thing from their mind.

Until Allura's sacrifice that is.

Suddenly it was a very real thing on their mind, that they could lose each other at anytime.

Lance was struck the hardest, he secluded himself under the guise of carrying on her legacy.

Meanwhile Allura had woken up in the blue lion's astral plane.

Far different from the black lions.

Instead of endless space, she was within an endless ocean.

It wasn't very deep, from where she stood at it's floor, the light of a distant star filtered through the water.

She found she could breath within the water, walk across the seafloor as if she were walking on air, sealife of all kind swam around her.

She quickly found this new existance lonely.

Allura had expected to join the Paladins of old, but somehow she had pulled into blue's astral plane.

And she had no way out.

Back in the land of the living.

Shiro was the next to pass on, not by any accident or battle, but by his own decline in health.

Turns out the clones body was never meant to live long, haggar only created it to be temporary.

Unfortunately, Shiro's link to the black lion was severed after his resurrection and he isn't returned to the astral plane in death.

His death hits Keith especially hard, though the relationship they once shared had become distant and strained, Shiro was still Keith's family, his brother.

Keith decides to take a break from humanitarian work to mourn, he stays with Lance during that time.

It's years later that they lose Pidge to a freak accident.

She awakes within the Green lion's astral plane in confusion, her death so sudden she has not even had the chance to register it.

The plane is an endless jungle, it's canopy so dense no sky can be seen through it, yet light some how light filters through dyed green by the foliage.

Pidge spends a great deal of time grasping the meaning of the place she is in and why she is there.

A particularly bad fall out of the canopy that she escapes without injury and her overall lack of hungry and fatigue is what cues her in that she might not be alive anymore.

Keith is the next to pass away.

Years passed since Pidge's death and Keith returns to his work to escape his emotions.

The unrest the universe holds to the galra has never really died down.

Even though the remaining galra have been on the road to redeeming their ways, many aliens hold a grudge that is as old as Zarkons ten thousand years rein.

Keith is assassinated on a peace mission far from earth.

News doesn't reach the other for months and when it does they are devistated.

For Keith to die in such a way when the war has long been over.

Keith understands immediately when he awakes in the black lions astral plane what has happened.

What he doesn't understand is why Shiro isn't there to greet him, when he reaches out to the black lion for answers he receives silence.

Keith is alone.

It is many years before the next paladin dies.

Hunk and Lance have reached considerable age.

Lance though, isn't aging as he should, he still holds his youth, a side effect to Allura's gift.

Hunk passes away from old age related illness, with Lance by his side.

When he wakes he sees and endless desert canyon.

The yellow lion's astral plane.

In death Hunk has regained his youth, but with it he also realizes he is alone.

Lance lives for many decades after Hunk's death.

As the last living paladin he holds the legacy of all the paladins.

For many decades he passes on the story, on and on.

Til he grows tired.

The last paladin takes his own life in the very field he has tended in life.

He awakes in an endless plane of volcano rock and magma.

It doesn't burn surprisingly, as he walks barefoot along the burning rocks.

After an eternity he finds the Red lion in all her glory, around her the other lions stand waiting.

They were waiting for Lance.

When Lance puts his hand to Red's force field and knocks, the lions eyes light up one by one and they roar.

Light enveloping the astral plane so bright lance has to shield his eyes.

When he opens them again the plane is different.

The lava and rock replaced with bright blue sky and clouds beneath his feet.

When he looks up he sees the others.

Hunk.

Keith.

Pidge.

And.

Allura.

They cling to each other sobbing in their reunion, after what felt like an eternity apart.

Around them the lions stand watching, their eyes bright.

They all realize it at the same time when the lions kneel before them.

They are being granted a second chance at life.

They hesitate though, knowing their is no guarantee they will find each other again.

But there is a promise in the lions eyes, that they will find each other again, in the next life and every life after.

They take the step,

"Til we meet again"

And they fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Post Canon, 
> 
> Meaning yes the lions left, that didn't change,
> 
> The idea is that if you are a paladin you will find you way into your lion astral plane when you die, the lions are all dormant when each paladin awake in each plane, so they were completely alone til Lance died and awoke the lions, the lions were waiting for Lance, the paladins could only all meet when the lions were awake and connected,
> 
> In the end the Paladins each entered their lions cockpit and flew out of the shared astral plane, and were reincarnated back in their universe,
> 
> What happens after that is up to you.
> 
>  
> 
> As for Lance's suicide.
> 
> He was the last living paladin who was basicly a living relic that everyone only cared about due to this, 
> 
> he out lived not only all the other paladins, but literally everyone he ever knew, all he had left was a garden that no one alive understood the true significance of, people only came to him to hear stories about the people he'd never see again as far as he knew 
> 
> and at this point he realized he wouldn't die of old age on his farm the way he expected to, he had lived long past what he was naturally meant to, so he chose to pass on by his own means after centuries of living alone.


	82. These marks lead me to you (Keitor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith/Lotor, Lance/Allura, Mentioned Ezor/Zethrid, Soulmate AU, Galra Have Soulmates, Galra Soulmates Share Scars, Altean Soulmates Share Thoughts, Humans Don't Have Soul Connections Unless Their Soulmate Is An Alien, Keith Thinks They Are Birthmarks Most Of His Life, Lotor Is Ten Thousand Years Old, Lance And Allura Get Together Much Earlier, Kolivan Dad, Shiro Has A Clone, The Castleship Doesn't Implode, Lotor Lives, Screw Canon

All galra have soulmates, it is just a fact of the universe, even long before they took to space.

No one knew when it began, but your fated partner was the one who would bare your scars and share your wounds.

Maybe that is where the galran worship of battle and pride of their battle wounds came from.

For those scars would lead them to their fated.

But that was tens of thousands of years ago and no one can truely know.

Fast forward to the fall of altea and the birth of the first hybrid child or Honerva and Zarkon.

As the first hybrid ever to be born of galran and altean blood, no one knew what to expect.

Both alteans and galrans have soul connections, so it was expected the child would present as one of the two.

Galran scar sharing.

Or altean thought sharing.

When Lotor showed signs of neither, it created a stir amongst the population.

A belief that half breeds are never destined or promised soul mates because they are half breeds.

The stigma followed every half breed to be born after, and many were mistreated or abandoned because of it.

As Lotor got older he saw this.

He grew believing he was destined to be alone, destined to be a unnatural half-breed.

It took time for Lotor to overcome his self worth issues, they never went away completely, but he learned to hide them behind false pride.

He found other half breeds and gave them a place by his side to belong.

Even when it pained him to see each of them develop soul bounds of their own.

Ezor and Zethrid shared scars, proudly displaying them for all to see.

Acxa was born with alien words inscribed on her skin.

Narti shared dreams with someone light-years away.

Lotor would never admit he still scanned his skin for scars that were not his own in the privacy of his room.

Feeling the same emptiness when he only found his own scars blemishing his skin.

That is until Sendak found the red lion.

It was small, something one would normally easily over look, but someone noticed.

Kova had been staring at Lotor, not an unusual occurance.

When Narti was not around kova tended to stare.

What was unusual though, was when kova approached Lotor and smacked his cheek with their paw, repeatedly.

Lotor could not help but sputter, picking kova up to remove them from his proximity, even as kova continued to reach with their paws.

That was when Axca walked in and raised an eyebrow.

Axca was the one to point out the mark on Lotor's cheek, inquiring if Lotor had upset kova into scratching him.

That small nick was the beginning of it all.

The first few years after that the scars remained small, accidents is what Lotor recognized them as.

This was when Lotor realized, he had a soulmate, he didn't get share scars before now because they had not been born yet.

The scars got more worrisome after those first six decaphebes.

His soulmate had to have been little more then a kittling when the first scar appeared.

Now the scars appearing are less accidental and more intentional.

A kit around six to twelve decaphebes is not an unusual age for play fighting to occur, but these scars aren't the kind one would aquire playfighting with another kit.

These were inflicted.

Punishment? Abuse?

Lotor felt enraged on his soulmates behalf, he wanted to find them and inflict pain a thousand fold on the one responsible.

As the decaphebes past and Lotor began to develop small scars on his knuckles, he felt pride.

His soulmate was growing up and fighting back against those who harmed them.

Lotor longed to reach out and assist, fight by their side.

But while under the ever watchful eyes of his father and the witch, he could never reveal something as precious as a soulmate.

Distance would keep them safe.

... Meanwhile...

Keith was born covered in scars, as if some macabre birthmarks.

For the most part as Keith grew he got used to them, his father never acknowledged them beyond a quiet sadness.

He once told Keith that Keith was baring the scars for someone else.

It was only after his father died that Keith realized how unusual they are.

People would openly stare at his skin if he revealed enough to show scars.

They would look at him with pity and make the assumption his father gave him the scars.

No amount of arguing changed their opinion about that.

When he was moved to foster care, he began aquire scars to finally rival the ones he was born with.

The brand on his back covered with belt welts and cuts.

His arms with cigarette burns and welts.

He can to a revelation during his time in care, bruises don't leave scars, but hurt just the same.

Keith absently wonders how many bruises, the one who's scars he bares, had to suffer through.

Why did he only have their scars?

He grew hard in the care of the system, learned to stay out of the way, avoid gathering more scars.

It didn't always work, but as a result he learned to stand his own against the other kids.

His bloodied knuckles are proof of that.

Things don't change until he meets Takashi Shirogane.

Shiro saves Keith from a life with no future, bails him out, gets him into the garrison.

It's a while before Shiro sees Keith's scars.

When he does he doesn't treat Keith any different, doesn't treat him like he is broken or damaged.

He doesn't ask any questions.

Keith begins to see Shiro as a brother, as family.

And then Shiro is gone.

And Keith leaves the garrison.

Keith aquires many new scars during his time in the desert.

Some his own, some not.

In his solitude he wonders about the one who's scars he bares.

He wonders not for the first time if they bare his scars as he wraps a particularly bad wound from a fall while rock climbing.

Shiro returns.

Falls right out of the sky in a ship not of Earth.

Not long after Keith finds himself shooting into space with not only Shiro, but three cadets and a blue lion.

Keith learns of soulmates when an alien princess falls from stasis into Lance's arms.

Apparently she and Lance share their thoughts.

It's a shocking bit of information to all involved, given everything that is happening.

The soulmate thing is forgotten when the galra lock on to their location and they have to find the lions and fight back.

Sometime after the battle Allura takes Lance aside.

Things are strange between those two after that.

Keith wonders how weird it would be to share someone's thoughts, how intrusive it would be.

He doesn't ask.

Shiro finds him after that.

The altean soulmate thing having reminded him of Keith's scars.

It comes as a surprise to Keith when Shiro approached him and said "those scars arent only yours are they?"

Shiro having been captive to the Galra learned alot about galra, including an galran soulmates.

He thought it was nonsense at first, but witnessed it first hand, Allura and Lance's connection had caused Shiro to recall galran soulmates.

Shiro doesn't say he suspects Keith has a galran soulmate, but he does say it is a soulmate thing when Keith confirms his suspicion.

Keith is surprised by this but also not really.

This makes Shiro reconsider galra as a whole and Keith himself.

Keith is destined to a galra, but Shiro knows that it couldn't possibly be a bad person, because Keith deserves good.

That would mean all galra weren't remorseless soldiers following orders blindly.

Shiro keeps this to himself.

That is until Ulaz and in extension, the blade of marmora are discovered.

Keith begins to question everything about himself, after seeing Ulaz's knife.

It is hard to miss the brand that takes up most of his back, distorted as it has become in time, it is still clearly meant to be the empires symbol.

Keith has been trying to make excuses since they came to space, maybe his soulmate was a victim of the empire.

Now Keith can't help but wonder, are they galran?

They go-to the marmora headquarters and Keith takes the trials.

Aquiring a jagged wound across his shoulder, he wonders if his soulmate would disapprove.

As the trial ends and red lashes out at Keith's pain, the blade extends in his hand.

Keith is galra.

In the aftermath Keith locks himself in his room, only do Shiro to visit.

Shiro tells Keith nothing has changed, but Keith still replaying the reactions of the team and Allura, laughs at that.

Shiro doesn't let Keith wallow in this mindset and tells him the team is only surprised and they will go back to the way it was before in time.

Keith breaks down confessing his fears that his soulmate is loyal to the empire.

Shiro tells Keith he already suspected as much and that if they were truely Keith's soulmate they couldn't have been truely evil.

It isn't until the final confrontation that everything starts to settle, Allura even going out of her way to apologise to Keith.

And then Shiro goes missing.

And Keith takes his place as black paladin.

And their new enemy appears, Lotor.

....fast forward....

Lotor had taken his father's life, with the black bayard.

And in doing so aquired the paladins trust.

Lotor had little opportunity to observe the paladins within a holding cell and learn more about them.

But he comes to learn more given his new found freedom.

He learns to be cautious of the black paladin very quickly, his temper I unpredictable and often times aimed at his own allies.

Thw gleam in his eyes I suspicious as well, but Lotor does not hold authority to do much about it as his words would be seen as malicious intent.

He learns the red paladin was once the blue and the princess was not always a paladin.

It is hinted at that whoever the red paladin was, once fought in the role as black paladin.

Lotor suspects they are the one him and his former generals faced countless times before.

He is curious as to where the missing paladin had gone.

The alien coilition hold great distrust and suspicion towards Lotor making it difficult to observe them, they go out of their way to keep quiet around Lotor or avoid him altogether.

The blade on the other hand, makes no move to avoid Lotor.

They make it clear they are observing him just as much as he observes them.

Lotor presents himself with the confidence he has nothing to hide, whether that is true or not.

He has noticed though, one blade stands out from the rest.

He is smaller then an adult pureblood galra, meaning he is either a hybrid or kit.

Lotor likes to believe the second one isn't an option, but from his experience on the empire it is a possibility.

The little one goes out of their way to avoid the Paladins and coilition members as often as possible.

Even going as far as standing in their leaders shadow during meetings and debriefs.

Lotor is curious.

The little blade seems no different.

Lotor catches them often pretending to to be observing him, while their fellow members show no interest in hiding the fact.

It isn't til later that lotor catches the little blade with their mask off.

It is late into the night cycle, a time Lotor usually keeps to his assigned room to avoid accusations.

But sleep is evading the prince and so he decides to risk a trip the the training rooms to blow off extra energy.

The training room isn't empty though.

Within is the little blade, in full blade armour sparing with the altean gladiator.

Lotor watches, telling himself he is simply taking note of the blades level of skill.

They fight three rounds before taking a break to hydrate, taking off their mask to reveal a very alien face.

Very reminiscent of the paladins themselves and it clicks then.

This is the former red and black paladin, the missing paladin.

The paladin blade freezes realizing they are not alone, his eyes find Lotor's and narrow with suspicion.

Lotor decides not to acknowledge the klanmurl in the room.

He compliments the paladin on his form and makes a comment on how he could improve.

The paladin continues to eye him with distrust but accepts the blunt suggestions of improvement bwith consideration.

That first offical meeting is short, but it opens the door to the promise of more in the future.

And so it does.

There is little during the day cycle, they continue on as if they have never spoken.

But during the night cycle they sometimes meet in the training rooms, sometimes to talk, sometimes to spar.

Lotor finds the sparing is the most effective way to gain Keith's trust.

He doesn't know if Keith notices when the sparing devolves into play fighting, he shows no signs of acknowledging it, but he enjoys it none the less.

No one else on the ship appears to be privy of these nightly bonding sessions, or more so they don't mention them.

The green paladin seems to give Keith knowing looks from time to time causing the paladin blade to change color in the face.

Once or twice these looks have been pointed in Lotor's direction, to which he skillfully doesn't react.

The other blades have begun to watch Lotor more so when he and Keith find themselves in the same room, he is unsure if Keith notices.

Strangely, but probably less of a surprise the altean adviser seems aware as well, Lotor is uncertain when the altean even sleeps given how often he sees the man in day and night cycles.

Regardless, their sessions continue.

....point of view change....

Keith notices first.

He doesn't know why he has found himself watching the galran prince so closely, but it is during that time he saw it.

A light scar, on his right cheek that only stands out because of the purple pigment of his skin.

It has to be a coincidence.

Keith has the exact same scar, he doesn't recall if it is one of his own or his soulmates, it isn't even visable anymore of his pale skin.

But he knows it's there.

He finds himself scrutinizing the prince after that, darting his eyes away blushing when the prince raises his brow in amusement.

There is no possible way he can know for certain unless he asks the prince to show his skin.

Keith blushes at the thought.

He definitely can't ask the prince of the galra empire to take of his shirt, nope.

The only other scars Keith could be sure we're visable other then his face would be his hands.

But the prince like Keith seems to have taken to the habit of wearing gloves, much to Keith's frustration.

The only other option is to show his own skin, and Keith immediately decides against that option.

Keith is frustrated.

According to kolivan galra normally wear their scars proudly on display so their soulmates can find them.

And while Keith is used to hiding his, why is Lotor hiding?

Keith growls to himself after Lotor knocks him to the mat again, the prince smirking at him from where he stands.

Keith gets to his feet and disregards his forms completely and rushes the prince.

There is an excited glint in Lotor's eyes like with everytime Keith does this, like he knows something Keith doesn't.

They wrestle and chase each other around the mats until Keith pins Lotor.

There is something about letting loose that settles Keith.

In the garrison Keith would be reprimanded for disregarding standard forms.

Heck even Shiro reminds Keith endlessly not to lose himself "patience yields focus"

Lotor though, doesn't seem disappointed when Keith lets go, he seems to enjoy it just as much as Keith.

Maybe that is why Keith looks to Lotor and hopes to find scars that match his own.

...point of view change...

Keith has a new mission.

Meaning he is leaving the castleship for the blade.

The night before his departure his eyes hold determination as he looks to Lotor and tells him he has something to tell him when he returns.

And so he leaves.

It is not long after the leader of the blade finds him alone in the training deck to tell him, Keith was lost during his mission.

Lotor doesn't know why Kolivan came personally to tell him, but he thanks him none the less.

His chest aches.

Lotor loses himself trying to find alternative quintessence sources to satisfy the empire and stop it's expansion.

Forgoing sleep to spar with the altean gladiator in the training room.

It is one of these nights Kolivan comes to him again.

Lotor doesn't understand why.

Kolivan saw Keith as his son, and he has seen both Keith's and Lotor's scars, not all of them, but enough to know they match.

And so Kolivan has taken it upon himself to support Keith's soulmate in his absence.

Kolivan talks some sense into Lotor, telling him to get ahold of himself.

Kolivan let's it slip that Keith and Lotor are soulmates, and that if anyone could know if Keith had died it would be him.

Because when a soulmate dies, a galra would feel it.

Normally the scars are painless, but in the moment of death a soulmate feels their partners pain intensely, there is no way to mistake it.

....meanwhile....

Keith and Krolia aftee bonding in the abyss with Keith's wolf.

Their to in the abyss has come to an end and they leave the space whale.

Thus they find the altean colony.

A colony Lotor had created for the altean people and the source of the new quintessence.

Keith is shocked to learn romelle's story about the other colony and Lotor's lies.

He feels betrayed.

Keith is furious when he finally returns to the castleship.

They decide to confront Lotor.

Only for that plan to be halted by Shiro going rogue, Lotor is thankfully secured Ina holding cell while Keith confronts Shiro.

Only to learn Shiro is clone and the original Shiro died during the Zarkon confrontation.

Keith returns with the unconscious clone and the black lion.

He has been betrayed not only by Lotor, but by a clone of his own brother.

The paladins had successfully subdued the generals while Keith confronted Shiro.

Allura reveals she has the ability to recover Shiro's soul from the black lion and put it into the clones body.

Shiro is successfully received and settled into the medbay.

Keith secludes himself onto the observation deck, and thats where Kolivan finds him.

Keith put his trust into Lotor and was betrayed.

Kolivan and Keith have a conversation about Lotor and soulmates.

Kolivan tells Keith to talk to Lotor, because soulmates are never a mistake.

Keith decides to wait until after they arrived to the altean colony and talk to the alteans.

Which is Allura's first priority at the moment.

Keith spends his time with Shiro in the medbay, or on the observation deck when he isn't with the paladins or Kolivan or Krolia.

It is completely unplanned when he visits Lotor on night after struggling to sleep.

After Keith asks Lotor why, desperately wanting to know how he could do such a thing.

And Lotor claims he never betrayed the altean colony, that he hasn't visited it in a very long time and whoever is doing that to the alteans isn't him.

Keith doesn't know what to believe.

When they arrive to the colonies and find druids they realize that haggar is responsible, using druid magic to make the alteans believe it is Lotor.

They liberate the colony and decide it's best to move the alteans onto the castle now that haggar knows where to find them.

Lotor is released and Keith apologizes for not believing him.

They take some time to themselves now knowing they are eachothers soulmates.

Both of them revealing their scarred torsos and finally accepting completely they are soulmates.

The war isn't over, Haggar and Sendak are still a threat, there are still loose ends to settle.

But those can be dealt with when they get to them, but for now,

Shiro is back,

The colony is liberated,

The generals are subdued,

Voltron is together.

Next stop is earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There, I fixed canon!
> 
>  
> 
> Yes Axca's soulmate is Veronica.
> 
> Narti's soulmate is a secret 🤫


	83. They said I was lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Keith&Shiro, Keith&Adam, Shadam Adopt Keith, Grief, Mourning, Blue Lion, Mental Institutions, Mental Instability, Medication, Keith Stays At The Garrison, He Still Hears The Blue Lion, Blue Makes Keith Dissociate And Check Out Of Reality, Everyone Thinks He Is Mentally Unstable, Adam Is Trying His Best, Blue Doesn't Understand She Is Making Keith's Life Worse

So ever since Shiro got Keith into the garrison and caused him to move back to the town he was born.

Meaning the desert and the blue lion.

Keith begins to hear the blue lion the moment he enters town, and in the garrison it is much closer to the desert making the blue lion's voice that much harder to ignore.

Taking Keith on as his protege, Shiro practically adopts him and in extension so does Adam.

The two become his gaurdians and take care of him and support him while he is at the garrison.

The blue lion isn't an obvious problem at first, just a small nudge or whisper in the back of Keith's mind.

Every once and a while blue nudges too hard and Keith checks out of reality, zones out to the point he is unreachable.

No one thinks much of it until it becomes a regular thing.

Disrupting his classes, his simulation runs and his daily life.

Shiro and Adam grow concerned.

Medication isn't considered at first, Shiro hoping some therapy will help Keith develop his focus along with reminders.

Patience yields focus after all.

But when Keith loses focus while out on a hoverbike run with Shiro leading to a trip to the garrison med bay.

Shiro begins to consider medication as an option.

Keith is against it at first, but the hoverbike incident keeps him from out right lashing out at the idea.

They start a trial of meds for focus.

At first Keith can't tell much has changed, there is still a nudge in the back of his mind, but it hasn't been long so he disregards it.

It's two weeks in Keith has a lapse of focus, it's in a simulation run, Keith isn't able to snap out of it quick enough to save his score.

That is the first sign.

They try many different medications and many different doses and the problem doesn't go away.

In his frustrations at another failed medication that only left him to deal with side effects that didn't even effect his episodes in any way.

He lets it slip after that, tired of the meds, that he'd be able to focus if his mind would just shut up for once.

Shiro and Adam don't immediately come to the assumption, but after a few sleepless nights of worrying while Keith sleeps restlessly, they wonder if Keith is hearing voices.

They confront him after classes on day.

And ask him directly, if he is hearing voices that aren't there.

Keith isn't stupid and knows the stigma of what hearing voices could mean.

But he is tired and frustrated with the episodes where he seems to lose touch with the world around him when the nudging and whispering get to loud.

So Keith tells them about blue.

He doesn't know blue is a giant sentient alien warship buried in the desert calling out to Keith because he is the only one sensitive enough to quintessence to hear them.

He assumes like any logical person who is hearing a voice in their mind that isn't attached to something in their immediate surroundings, that he is hallucinating.

This in turn instead of helping find effective treatments, just finds different types of the same treatments.

To pile on more worry, Shiro is assigned to the Kerberos mission around this time.

Adam is against this because he is not only leaving Adam, he is leaving Keith, with no guarantee he will return alive.

An arguement ensues which Keith witness the tail end of.

He watches Adam storm out and Shiro tiredly sigh and collapse onto the sofa.

Adam takes time to reflect on the news Shiro plans on going regardless and decides he can't let the fight disrupt Keith's only support system.

Adam goes to the launch for Keith alone, still feeling bitter and betrayed by Shiro.

Keith has an episode as the ship leaves the atmosphere, Adam takes Keith home after.

Keith while coping with the strain of over medication, decides to hold out until Shiro returns.

Adam on the other hand is struggling to cope, taking care of Keith was a partnership him and Shiro took on together.

Without Shiro, Adam has taken the full weight of that responsibility.

From coaching Keith out of fights, keeping him on his work load for classes, making sure he stays on his meds, keeps his appointments and eats his meals.

Adam fully realizes the gap in which Shiro once filled.

The new meds Keith starts after the launch have the lovely effect of making him move sensitive to quintessence, like a coffee shot to the brain in the morning, they turn the quintessence sensitive network in his brain on max.

Keith is completely unresponsive for several days.

Taking him off the meds doesn't immediately turn the sensitivity back down, it is a slow gradual decline back to manageable.

Meanwhile Keith is hospitalized due to not being fully awake and aware enough to feed himself.

Multiple times he attempts to sleep walk while entirely unresponsive to where ever blue is calling from.

After that episode Keith wakes in a psychiatric ward with no clue how he got there.

Adam had put a stop to the drug treatments after Keith's extended episode, and Keith is to stay in the ward for long enough to ensure a lengthy episode like that won't become a regular thing.

It's in this ward Keith learns Kerberos was lost.

Keith lashes out, at Adam, at the doctors and nurses.

He refuses to accept it.

And this is where Blue steps in to poor gasoline on the inferno.

After Keith calms down and secludes himself to try and accept the news, blue nudges him again.

Telling him to go-to the desert, wait for an arrival, that he must go.

Keith latches onto this, needing a distraction from the news Shiro is never coming home.

After several escape attempts Keith becomes a flight risk and is kept in more secure accommodations.

The episodes gets worse as Keith begins to listen to blue more instead of ignoring her as he did before.

When in a trance he somehow slips past his watchers easier then when not in a trance.

But he still gets caught in the act trying to leave every time.

The increased episodes is what makes his stay at the ward longer.

He originally was only meant to stay temporarily to monitor his episodes to make sure they aren't getting worse after the extended med induced episode.

So him listening to blue and having more episodes more often, sleep walking episodes at that, means he has extended his stay in the ward for his own safety.

Adam can't watch Keith twenty four seven.

Keith is still in the ward the night Shiro falls back to earth.

Keith has been in a month long trance building up to the arrival, not entirely aware of the time passing around him, only knowing blue is urgently nudging him and he has to go.

The garrison trio rescue Shiro from quarantine without Keith, and they find the blue lion.

Keith hears blue wake up, suddenly she is clearer then she has ever been before, just as suddenly their connection is gone and his mind is quiet.

Keith is left dazed and lost, with no idea what is going on.

Blue in the meantime has switched to harrassing Lance who now sits in the pilot seat.

Blue wants Lance to go pick up Keith before they leave.

So a giant blue lion crashes into the courtyard of the garrisons psych ward and Keith is just like staring out the window wondering if he has finally lost his mind.

Keith feels the familiar nudge and realizes this, this lion in front of him, is what has been calling to him all along.

So Keith books it out of the ward, dodging the doctors and nurses attempting to get a hold on the situation and hops into the lion.

The rest is basicly canon, except Keith is recovering from unneeded drug treatments and the atrophy of being a literal vegetable for weeks at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, I didn't write this to be spout about how bad medications are. They aren't bad, many people need them to function. 
> 
> Keith on the other hand is not dealing with an imbalance or disorder that can be treated with medication, so putting him on medication was giving him something he did not need.
> 
> And to make matters worse, his was given stronger and stronger doses and medicines to attempt to fix a problem that could not be solved with medication, even while the issues showed no signs of settling with meds.
> 
> So while he was struggling to cope with blue's increasingly desperate calls, he also had to cope with the effects of medications he didn't need.
> 
> Clearly any psychiatrist who knows what they are doing would clearly understand this method isn't effective and stop before the sufferer is seriously harmed by the drug treatments.
> 
> This though, is a fiction and I am not a psychiatrist so it's best not to take this as a "drugs bad" sort of thing.
> 
>  
> 
> The concept I wanted to portray was how Keith's connection to blue could be misunderstood by others as a mental illness, and the "help" he receives causes more harm then good because he isn't suffering from something that can be treated by meds, in turn forcing Adam to place Keith in the care of an in patient ward til blue comes to bail him out.


	84. Back to the start, for better or worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Haggar's magic had a different effect to the wormhole corruption?
> 
> Tags-  
> Hurt Paladins, Separation, Isolation, Ambush, Alien Wilderness Survival, Starvation, Dehydration, Confusion, Corrupted Wormhole, Poor Everyone, Galaxy Garrison, Earth, Arus, Captured Keith, Captured Lance, The Lions Are All Off Line, Everyone Is In Their Own Trouble

So what if Haggar's intention wasn't to stop the wormhole but to change the destination?

What if she tries to warp space time to change their destination to where they started?

Like she plans to sent them all to Arus and ambush them while they are stranded there?

But it backfires.

Instead of ending up together the lions are dragged out of their hangers, all except the black lion.

The castle and black lion end up on Arus, both the lion and castle out of commission.

So they are in a race to get them back online before the galra get to Arus.

Meanwhile the other lions are returned to their resting places.

Pidge crash lands on the sloth alien planet with an out of commission green lion.

Pidge trapped on a planet without the tech needed to completely repair green beyond what is in her lion.

Hunk ends up on the mining colony, that is now abandoned, with an out of commission yellow lion.

Hunk trapped on the mining colony with all the abandoned galra tech he could ever need to fix yellow.

But the barren planet lacks any food or water sources, so he has to fix the lion and send out a signal hoping the castle recurve it before yellow runs out of rations.

Lance crashes into the cave blue was woken from back on Earth and is quickly surrounded by the garrison.

Lance has to somehow escape quarantine and get the blue lion from the garrisons possession.

Hoping to get her running long enough to get off the radar and hopefully send out a signal to the castle.

Keith ends up at galran central command, in a out of commission lion and completely outnumbered and over powered.

(The galra had the red lion remember?)

So Keith is taken prisoner and the red lion is put under lock and key.

Keith can either find the opportunity to escape and steal back the red lion himself or wait and hope the others figure out where he is before something bad happens.

Keith knew storming the galran central command was a bad idea...


	85. I forgot my spandex at home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Hunk&Pidge&Lance, Childhood Friends Hunk & Lance, Vigilantes, Superheroes, Secret Identities, Secrets, Lance Has Telekinesis, Pidge Has Technokinesis, Hunk Has Super Constitution/Invunerablility, Keith & Shiro Have No Powers, Keith Is Still An Alien, Shiro Was Still Abducted

Hunk and Lance have been friends for as long as they can remember.

And for long as they could remember they have had powers that no one else seemed to have.

Lance could move things with simple thoughts and intent, while Hunk seemed invunerable to any harm.

From the fantasy they've seen on TV they decided early on to keep their powers a secret.

It was alot harder then it sounded...

Lance tended to not be completely conscious of his powers, he would move things when distracted or excited.

Hunk had an easier time, but it was still hard to hide the fact he never got hurt.

After all it's strange for someone to continue to walk away unharmed from things people normally get hurt from.

But they eventually learned to better hide it.

As they got older lance was more and more eager to use their powers while Hunk grew more anxious.

Lance eventually convinced Hunk to sneak out at night and use their powers as vigilantes.

They got into a routine over time, sneaking out at night to meet up and patrol the streets.

Things were no different when they both got accepted into the garrison.

What they didn't forsee was that the third member of their flight team would find out about their powers.

They let their gaurd down, and we're caught sneaking back into the garrison while in costume.

Pidge, it turned out wasn't gonna snitch on them, he wanted to join them.

That surprised them to say the least, until Pidge revealed he could connect with tech with powers of his own.

Pidge filled a gap in the team that Hunk and Lance never noticed, but now the dynamic felt much more natural.

Things continued on this way for some time.

Lance and Hunk sneaking out while Pidge stayed behind as technical support, tampering with garrison surveillance and communication between the trio.

Pidge was very stubborn about staying at the garrison and how he'd be the most help working from there.

But Lance wanted the bonding experience and decided to drag Pidge with them one night.

They snuck into the roof where Pidge set up his tech during the night with the intent of bring Pidge along.

What happened instead was very different.

Alien radio chatter, a crashed alien ship, Takashi Shirogane, the garrison quarantine, Keith f*cking kogane and a giant blue lion ship.

As they walked out of the blue lion and into an alien castle, Lance can only think of how complicated everything is becoming.

Now in space, with ten thousand years old aliens, famous garrison pilot Takashi Shirogane and the hotheaded dropout Keith Kogane.

It's gonna be so much harder to hide their powers in the middle of a ten thousand year old space war...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They get carried away with their powers during the war.
> 
> Lance using his telekinesis to adjust his shots trajectory among other things.
> 
> Hunk uses his invunerablility to power house his way through enemies, ramming into enemies.
> 
> Pidge has the easiest time hiding her powers cause no one can tell she is using them with the way she types so fast.
> 
> The alteans don't know what's normal for humans so they can't tell the trio are different.
> 
> Keith is a bad example of a human cause of his enhanced physical ability due to being galra.
> 
> And Shiro was enhanced by the galra but no one knows cause he can't remember.
> 
> So Lance, Hunk and Pidge get away with being super powered without anyone finding out.


	86. I've waited a lifetime for you (Allura/Lance)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Lance/Allura, Soulmate AU, Dream Sharing, Sad Lance, Confused Allura, Alteans Don't Have Dream Sharing, Humans Do, You Can't Dream In Cryofreeze, Lance Dreams Of Altea, Allura Dreams Of Cuba, They Eventually Just Share Dreams, Mutual Pining

In a world where everyone has dreams that lead them to their soulmates, Lance has no dreams.

To be more precise, he dreams of nothing.

A never ending darkness.

No sound, no light, no anyone.

For as long as Lance could remember he dreamt of an empty void, while everyone around him dreamt of vivid landscapes and memories.

Lance waited a long time for the night he'd dream of something, anything, but it never came.

He came to accept that he would never meet his soulmate, that he may not have a soulmate.

Lance decided very early on to hide the truth about his dreams, so no one would find out he doesn't have soulmate dreams.

He put on an act of confidence, flirted and flaunted to those who'd listen.

Never expected anything to change.

Until it did.

Following a crash out in the desert, bursting in on his rival to save Shiro, blasting into space in a giant blue lion.

And through a wormhole to an alien planet and landing near an alien castle.

That was a pretty big change honestly.

But it was only the beginning.

Inside the castle was actual aliens frozen in cryopods.

Suddenly lance was thrusted into a war that apparently spans ten thousand years.

It's alot to take in.

After aquiring and forming Voltron and defeating the galran warship, they are finally given time to rest.

It feels like years since he last slept.

Lance goes about his lengthly nightly routine to sleep, this time with alien alternatives which draw the routine out longer.

A routine he developed to help him sleep when he found the natural rest of sleep evades him during void filled dreams.

When Lance finally finds rest though, it's not an empty void that greets him, it's an endless field of flowers.

Flowers he has never seen before.

In the distance he sees hills and the silhouette of a castle that he can't pinpoint the familiarity of.

The place comes with feelings.

Deep deep despair that hits him personally, as if everything he has ever loved and cared about has been torn away from him forever.

It takes him a moment to realize he is crying, mourning.

But there is no one around, not even a whisper.

He feels drawn to the castle in the distance with urgency.

Going from a stumbling walk, to a jog, to a desperate run while never gaining ground.

The sky alights with fire and darkness begins to take over, revealing itself to be galran warships by the thousands.

The flowers begin to wilt and either as the castle in the distance burns and before lance can stop himself he begins to scream in anguish.

Suddenly the dream rips away into the familiar dark void, so abruptly Lance is jarred.

The feelings that felt so desperate and personal and devistating moments before are gone.

Lance is left to process.

He comes to realize it is a soulmate dream and that those visions and feelings were not his own.

In the void he sits and contemplates the meaning.

His soulmate is hurting, that much he knows, because of the galra and there is nothing lance can do.

He doesn't remain in the void for long, he awakes feelings as though he barely slept.

He goes through his morning routine and heads for the bridge only to find everyone is already awake.

It seems there was a drill and lance overslept, oops.

[That's all I got folks]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically lance dreams of Altea and Allura dreams of Cuba.
> 
> But there are no obvious hints beyond that, no people in the dreams only places and feelings.
> 
> As Allura and Lance get to know each other better they realize the dreams are related to the other.
> 
> Lance realizes his dreams are about Altea and Allura and that she is his soulmate.
> 
> Allura realizes her dreams are about Lance and his home, but she doesn't know about humans soulmates, so she doesn't know the significance of the dreams.
> 
> As they get closer they soon begin to actually share dream space, taking turns showing each other Altea and Cuba, and spend their dreams talking.
> 
> While Lance hides what he knows of human soulmates because he assumes alteans don't have them because Allura doesn't know what dream sharing means.
> 
> That is the whole concept


	87. In another universe (Allura/Lotor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Lotor/Allura, Altean Colony, Good Lotor, Red Paladin Lotor, Alteans, Blade Of Marmora, Blade Of Marmora Lotor, Kerberos Mission Never Happens AU, Humans Stay On Earth, Shiro's Illness Is Mentioned

In another universe where the blade of marmora make contact with the Garrison while Krolia is on earth and they come to an agreement.

The garrison gets messages from the blade about how close the empire is so they can avoid joining a war they aren't prepared to fight and as a result delay the Kerberos Mission when the blade informs them of the empires presence at the edge of the solar system.

Shiro's health takes a turn for the worse shortly after, making it impossible for him to pilot the mission when the mission is planned to be rescheduled so it just never happens.

Keith who is never kicked out the garrison decides to live Shiro's dream for him while he lives the remainder of his time left with Adam.

So Keith graduates, becomes an officer and pilot and goes on off planet missions.

But the galra presence returns to the edge of the system so the garrison never plan a Kerberos Mission again.

Meanwhile Lotor who is a blade agent in this reality, steals the red from Sendak and it takes him to Allura.

They have a rough start but Lotor leads the castleship to the altean colony and Allura soon chooses to trust him.

So with a castle full of alteans and blade agents, Allura and Lotor have a ton of reinforcements to start a rebellion against the galran empire.

Their forces soon grow into fleets upon fleets of ships from races all across the universe with every planet they save.

They choose not to search for the other lions until they have viable paladins as to not risk them falling into empire hands.

So they battle with the red lion on the front lines.

And eventually they win the war.

Lotor takes his place as the new galran emperor and Allura as the new altean queen.

They marry and merge the two forces into one, using their combined power to both repair the damage done by the empire and prevent any forces from taking advantage of the new peace.

All without Voltron.

And

All while the human paladins never join the war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, Kerberos never happens, Allura and Lotor join forces and destroy Zarkon with the help of the alteans and the blades, they start a new era where the galtean force watches over the universe without need of the lions at all.


	88. Don't leave me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Characters Undecided, Imprisonment, Character Injury, Captured By the Galra, Moral Dilemas, Abandonment, Feelings Of Betrayal, Torture

More of a prompt then a sketched out idea.

Two of the paladins get captured by the galra during a mission and separated from the rest of the team.

During the capture one of the two struggles and lashes out more in an attempt to create an opportunity for escape, the other was injured in the event that lead to their capture unable to fight as much.

This leads to the soldiers restraining the more difficult of the paladins in their shared cell, even going as far as to chain them to the wall after they repeatedly strike out whenever the door opens.

So one is chained and bound to the wall, the other injured and resting nearby.

An opportunity arises for escape, but the injured paladin has no way to release the bound paladin and the opening for escape is time limited.

The injured paladin makes the difficult decision of leaving the other behind with the promise of "I'll come back for you", deciding that they cant save them alone and they will go get the rest of the team and return.

They succeed in escaping.

and the bound paladin gets punished for it by the soldiers.

The imprisonment drags on and the rough treatment gets to the remaining paladin.

On day they lay limp in their cell on the brink of passing out, and all they can think is they have been abandoned and they will never see the others again, before blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't decide what characters to cast... I was stuck between, Hunk(injured) and Lance(bound), Pidge(injured) and Keith(bound), and Lance(injured) and Keith(bound)... so [shrug] i guess


	89. This time Keith isn't a cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Lance/Keith, Lance&Keith, Characters Turned Into Cats, Cat Shiro, Cat Allura, Cat Coran, Cat Pidge, Cat Hunk, Everyone Is A Cat But Klance, Klance Has To Deal With The Aftermath, Keith Is A Good Strategist, Lance Knows More About The Castle Then Anyone (except Coran), Rivals to Friends (to More?), They Learn To Get Along, This Can Be Read As Platonic Or Romantic, But I Wrote It With QPRs In Mind

Before the Galra reveal but roughly canon compliant.

The castle recieves a beacon from an old planet that was once a ally of altea, they are requesting a meeting with the paladins and the last alteans.

Allura is estatic to have an old ally fighting with them so she immediately agrees.

Lance and Keith who have been at odds more then usual get into an argument after keith expresses they should be cautious.

They are both scolded when the argument starts to become more of a verbal fight.

Later when they get to the planet the alteans comment about how much it has changed since they have last seen it.

Tall conelike dome buildings clustered together with no gaps, making the capital look like a dense stubby urchin.

The paladins are forced to land far away from the capital and follow the guides to the center of the city, making Keith even more suspicious.

They are invited to a party in the capital building before discussing the alliance and everyone is required to go by order of the councilship of the planet.

Later everyone even Coran has joined the formal party and are mingling amoung the natives, Keith takes this as an opportunity to scope out the capital and find clues that prove his suspicion right.

Lance spots him leaving and follows planning on barating him for leaving the important party and drag him back.

What instead happens is they over hear that the council has decided to turn the paladins and alteans over to the empire to make a deal that keeps them from being enslaved and their planet colonized.

Keith and Lance return to the party to warn Allura and Shiro, but its too late.

Everyone has drunk the drugged drinks and it has the odd side effect of making them woozy.

It's a close call but Lance and Keith manage to herd the other back tot he castle while fighting off the natives. It isnt difficult as the natives arent a warrior race and chose to drug them for that reason entirely, they are too weak to stop them for escaping.

Luckily they don't have to tow the extra lions, they are sentient enough to know to follow Lance and Keith back to the castle.

By the time they get back to the castle it gets harder to corral the drugged team to the medbay, at this point they can barely walk and don't understand anymore that they are drugged.

But eventually they talk Coran that they need the med bay and they make it there.

Lance and Keith get beat up enough in training and in missions to both know how to work the pods, so getting the occupents in is only as hard as their own stubborn drunkedness.

Lance and Keith collapse to a sitting position leaning against the last pods they shoved their teammates and release a exhausted sigh.

After some back and forth squabbling about whos fault it is, they leave the medbay to get out of their stuffy formal wear.

Sometime later they return the the medbay to see blinking red lights on the teams pods, and of course panic.

After far too much yelling and panic the pods open with far too much smoke to reveal cats!

Klance is struck silent as five conviently color coded cats stumble out of the pods confused and disoriented.

The cat teammates dont seem to be aware of their situation and act like regular cats, regular cats that happen to be unaturally colored. (Hunk is bright yellow, Pidge bright gree, Coran bright orange, Allura bright pink And Shiro bright purple)

Klance soon find out they not only have to keep and eye on the newly catified team, they have to keep the castle running, fight off any empire warships and scouts that find them sitting in space like sitting ducks, all while trying to find a way to turn the cats back to normal.

Lance who happens to be Corans number one scape goat for chores and repairs, uses that knowledge to keep the castle together.

Keith who pays the most attention in meetings figures out strategies to keep them safe and the castle from getting overrun while most of the team is out of commision.

Lance turns out to be the only one who knows how to get the kitchen to make food beyond plain green goo and takes care of the meals for him, Keith and the cats.

Keith finds himself on cat babysitting duty while Lance does castle upkeep, meals and ect.

Lance finds himself on cat sitting duty when the castle is in peril and Keith must focus on keeping them safe.

They eventually figure out how to pilot the castle and strategize the best place to hide it, but they can't use wormholes without Allura.

They hunker down on a planet outside of the empire's reach and put up the particle barrier, giving Lance the extra job of keeping the barrier from failing.

They get into a routine and stop fighting as badly as they were.

Their defensive and aggressive arguing turns into more friendly banter and teasing, they become really good friends.

During the times when they aren't busy with keeping the castle safe, they bond over conversation.

Lance confesses why he didn't like Keith when they met and how he couldn't seem to let the bitterness go even after going to space. Keith apoligises for ignoring Lance at the garrison and pretending not to know him, tells him about his trust issues and his fear of getting too comfortable at the garrison. They tell each other about their pasts, their families, their fears, anything to fill the silence.

It becomes a regular thing, when they are free they seek eachother out and talk while the cat team hangs around oblivious or how much they are missed.

One particular time Lance breaks down into tears confessing how he fears the team will be stuck as cats forever, how they will never return to earth and they will never be able to talk to Hunk or Pidge or any of the team again.

Keith tries to reassure Lance but he fears the same thing, they both break down that night, while the cat team tries to cheer them up the way a pet cat would if it noticed its human was crying, it only makes Klance cry more.

They decide to not mention that night again.

It's going on the second month since the team was catified when the galra find their hiding place.

Lance is forced to watch when Keith goes out in the red lion alone, before now Keith strategized from the castle understanding going out without hope of backup was the most dangerous and reckless option, but this time they have no choice.

Keith goes out in red to give Lance a chance to move the castle out of harms way.

They don't get the opportunity to flee this time tho, the empire brought more then one ship and with only one lion they cant hope to get away.

Keith keeps fighting regardless, Lance begging him to get away, telling him they should take the lions and abandon the castle, but Keith keeps fighting.

Keith is struck down and Lance makes the choice to go out and save him, forgetting the cat paladins in the castle.

So Lance in blue is the only thing standing between the warships and Keith who is unresponsive in red, Lance puts all his focus into defending Keith that he doesnt notice when back up arrives.

The team had returned to normal while Klance was gone and woke up to see the battle raging outside the castle.

Shiro, Hunk and Pidge scrambled into their armour and raced to back Klance up when they realized the situation.

They put enough of a dent in the empires forces that they have an opening to tow the blue and red lions back to the castle and wormhole away.

Lance is far too in shock to fully realize the team is back and unresponsive Keith is rushed into a pod.

Lance numbly fills the team in on the fact they were cats for nearly two months and how him and Keith were the only ones around to keep the empire at bay.

Lance doesnt leave the med bay, even after the team leaves.

To the team the two months passed in the blink of an eye, they were drunkenly escaping the party one moment an waking in the chaos of an empire ambush the next, they leave to clean up and focus on getting back on track with the lost time.

It's two days later that Keith awakes from the pod, he's disoriented and very much shocked to see the his team waiting for him, his human and altean team and not cats.

After Keith is filled in he is fed and showered and left to his own devices.

The habit both Keith and Lance developed to find each other when they weren't busy kicked in and Keith went to seek Lance out.

They sat in the silence of each others company, sitting on the observation deck watching the stars pass.

Things have changed between them after their time alone for two months.

The struggle to get along and cope with the responsibiliy to take care of the team and the lions and castle, they became each others sole support.

Keith and Lance didn't feel the same going to Shiro or Hunk to talk as they have been together.

They didn't know what to call this new thing between them, but as they leaned on each other in the observation deck only lit by distant stars, they quietly decided it didnt matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this became far more deep then i intended...
> 
> it went from,  
> What if instead of one of them becoming a cat they all do!  
> What if only one person was left to take care of all the cats!  
> What if it was two of them and they hate each other!  
> Wouldn't it be dangerous for only two people to be alone on the castle without the means to wormhole!?  
> What if drags on for far longer then a few days and they slowly lose hope!?  
> WHAT IF THEY ARE PUT INTO A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE LOST ALL HOPE AND ARE AMBUSHED BY THE EMPIRE AND ARE LOSING ONLY TO BE SAVED BY THE CATS WHO TURN BACK TO NORMAL!??!?!?!
> 
> so yeah.


	90. Broken and unspoken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Unspoken Promises, Found Family, Abandonment, Hurt Feelings,

Keith's lack of family was an unspoken fact.

As was the team's decision to seemingly adopt him into their own little found family while they were stuck in space.

Keith was hesitant at first, not trusting the dynamic to stick when the war finally ended and they returned to their own families on earth.

But soon he grew to trust them, trust them to not leave him when the war ended, trust them to still be a family.

So Keith stopped hesitating and stopped avoiding it, he let them in, he trusted.

No longer did Keith fear then leaving after the war, cause they would always be in touch.

The promise was never spoken out loud, but it was strongly implied.

Keith hung onto that unspoken promise.

He wouldn't be a line ever again.

But then things shifted.

It began when they recovered Shiro.

Keith was estatic to have his brother back to reclaim the black lion and bring back the comfortable dynamic.

But it didn't go that way.

When Shiro began acting cold and harsh, that was when Keith began doubting.

He felt uncertain.

Because if Shiro could turn on him like this, someone who proved time and again he'd always be there, didn't that mean the rest of the team could as well?

Shiro's change eventually caused enough stress that Keith decided to flee from the castle to the blades.

The anger on his teams faces when he.entered the bridge that day haunted his mind after that.

He threw himself into the blade to distract himself, closing himself off from further hurt.

At least that was until he found his mother.

The shock of meeting her struck a hurt so forgotten he didn't know how to react.

It took time but his mother and him came to understand and mend their hurt.

It only took two years and an alien wolf dog.

Keith matured and settled after that.

Grown comfortable enough to believe his mother's reasons, to almost trust she wouldn't abandon him again.

But as the looming knowledge that he would need to return to the castleship soon, he remembered how easily that trust could be broken.

What Keith didn't expect was to get back and learn Shiro never abandoned him, he was a clone, an evil clone created by haggar.

He felt terrible for ever doubting Shiro, he felt terrible for not knowing Shiro died, for never noticing him.

He let his walls drop again for his team, his family.

He found his mother, found the real Shiro, rejoined his team.

Maybe things can truely be better.

It's during the ride back to earth he realizes he isn't the only one who could be hurt by abandonment.

Floating in space outside the lions with only their fellow paladins keeping each other from floating away.

It is revealed how the team felt about Keith leaving to the blade.

It's not until after the chaos of returning to earth and saving earth that Keith think on that knowledge.

He comes to the conclusion that if the team will stick with him it only makes sense he should make the same effort.

So Keith does.

Or he tries to at least.

It seems now that the team isn't trap on a massive castle with only each other for company, they are less likely to seek each other out.

With recovery and family time Keith find himself less in the company of his team and more in the company of Kolivan, Krolia and Kosmo.

He doesn't dwell on it, they are recovering too, they have the right to spend some of it with their own families, they haven't seen each other since they left earth.

Keith will have time with them later.

Keith ignores the little voice telling him Shiro has no such excuse not to visit, tells himself not to doubt his family again.

Before he gets the chance to dwell on the teams lack of time together, or even consider taking action on it, they have a war to finish.

And finish it they do.

At the cost of Allura.

It's a hit Keith and the team were never prepared for.

Yes they knew any of them could die at any point in this war, but to watch Allura walk away willingly with the knowledge she could not return, was something far more devistating.

The dynamic was broken after that.

Keith tried to seek out the team at every given opportunity, not wanting to lose anyone else.

But time together only reminded the team of Allura's sacrifice.

Dispute everything they have been through together.

The team split apart.

Going from close enough to share their deepest memories and thoughts through the bonds of the lions and becoming one.

To something that can barely qualify as a family.

Everyone left for their own personal endeavours to cope with Allura's loss their own way.

Hunk and Pidge lost themselves in their work.

Lance secluded himself to a farm in Allura's memory.

Shiro, he got married, married to a man he never mentioned to anyone before hand, to someone the team didn't even know.

Keith unsure what to do joined the blade in humanitarian work, hoping to at least be close to his mother.

But Krolia joined Kolivan in a different project, the one of creating a new home and government for the lost and scattered galra.

Keith found himself in the life he thought he would finally be free from, loneliness.

Cause that is what happened, despite all the unspoken Promises the team drifted apart regardless.

And none of the others seemed to notice or care.

They barely noticed when Keith kept in touch less and less.

Barely noticed when he distances himself during their yearly meet up.

Passed it off when he began missing every other meet up.

Didn't contact him when he stopped showing entirely.

Didn't seem concerned when he disappeared from the humanitarian efforts leaving them to a trusted colleague.

Passed it off as Keith being busy when someone did offhandedly inquire upon his absence.

And Keith himself.

He decided that his younger self was wrong for letting down his walls for Shiro all those years ago.

He and Kosmo disappeared into the endless universe, the communicators off and trackers removed permanently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fact that the team who went from literally living together and melding minds on a dayly basis just decides to part ways at the end of the show seems so unrealistic.
> 
> Given they should have developed some kind of co dependency from all the lack of barriers and being the only support they had was each other for years? 
> 
> Allura's death should have made them far more likely to not want to be apart from each other, as a part of their group that they have melded so closely together with is gone? They should have separation anxiety and PTSD! 
> 
> Shiro given all he has been through is understandable he would use distancing himself as a coping mechanism, but they others? Keith's go-to coping is fleeing like Shiro, but Lance? Pidge and Hunk? They are family oriented, grew up with strong close bonds, they shouldn't be so willing to distance themselves from those bonds!
> 
> Pidge scours the literal universe for the sake of family bonds, Lance has emotional break downs from his separation from his family on earth! They don't seem like the type to just forsake them!
> 
> ...
> 
> Sorry, I hate when character development is just thrown away at the end of the canon story.
> 
> And also hate when close friendship I treated like no big deal, especially when it is so strong it is basicly found family.
> 
> I also hate when trauma is over looked and PTSD is just overlooked... Like I don't believe a bunch of minors thrown into a war wouldn't develop some kinda of trauma disorder, like you made Shiro's PTSD canon but only Shiro's!?


	91. My other half

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Shiro&Kuro, Shiro&Keith, Kuro&Keith, Adam/Shiro mentioned, Kuro Is Shiro's Twin, Kuro Is Kuroko Shirogane, Kuro And Shiro Both Go To Kerberos, Galra Don't Understand Identical twins, Where Is Shiro?, Identity Crisis, Kuro Thinks He Is Shiro, Keith Can Tell The Twins Apart, No One Else Can, Mind Control, Evil Shiro, Kuro Is The Focus

Both Shiro and Kuro goto the garrison.

Shiro goes to follow his dream to see the stars and fly, Kuro goes to become a telecommunication officer and stay close to his brother.

Shiro has his illness in this AU, Kuro does not have the illness.

So Kuro follows Shiro whereever he went out of worry for his big brother, so when Shiro officially bacome a pilot Kuro is on comms keeping track of Shiro for his own peace of mind.

When Shiro picks up Keith from a recruitment trip, Kuro is hopeful that having a protege will mellow out his reckless streak, it does the opposite.

After several encounters and misunderstandings Keith realizes Kuro is not Shiro and actually Shiro's twin brother.

Keith is determined to tell them apart there after.

Kuro becomes Keith's second mentor in the process, while Shiro takes him on hoverbike rides and simulator tutoring, Kuro tutors him on his book work and less hands on things.

Keith learns how to tell them apart, not completely by their appearance, by their little personal quirks and habits.

Kuro is more causious, while Shiro is more reckless.

(FYI Adam has trouble telling the twins apart and it frustrates him)

Then the kerberos mission is announced they are looking for participants and Shiro is determined to go.

Kuro is very worried.

Turns out Shiro is rejected as an option due to his illness and he is devistated, Kuro realizes how devistated Shiro is and makes a decision.

Kuro confronts those who are incharge of the crew selection for kerberos and loses his cool on shiro's behalf, even going so far as agreeing to go on the mission to monitor Shiro's illness.

Shiro is so touched the twins have a moment.

Adam and Shiro have a fight after that, because Adam doesnt want Shiro to die in space.

Both Shiro and Kuro have time to make their personal goodbyes with their shared mentor.

So when the kerberos mission is anounced, they only mention the pilot and scientists.

Kuro isn't as well known as Shiro, he is only known in the garrison and by those who know Shiro personally, but there are still people who don't know in the garrison.

Keith isn't only angry about the blaming of Shiro for mission failure, he is also angry about people not mentioning Kuro at all and treating him as less important as Shiro because he was a telecommunication officer.

Pidge doesn't know about Kuro because Matt didn't hang out with Kuro, Pidge knows Shiro had a brother, just not that they were twins and that he worked at the garrison or went to kerberos.

So Shiro and Kuro are abducted by the Empire with the Holts.

The Galra seeing Shiro and Kuro looking identical and believe the humans have cloning technology.

They are both sent to the arena to test how strong they are and trying to figure out which is the original and which is the clone.

They find Shiro stronger cause Shiro is the more active twin and able to adapt to the arena faster then the twin who is more used to working behind a desk.

So Shiro who defeated the champion is kept in the arena as the new champion as entertainment and believe Kuro is the clone.

Kuro is kept in the druids labratory while they try to understand how he was cloned.

Over the year the druids obsessively obsess over the twins looking alike and constantly give each twin scars to match the other, Shiro gets his brother's surgical scars, Kuro gets his brother's battle wounds.

The brothers struggle with their identities and what is real and what the druids are lying about.

Kuro starts to believe the druids and thinks he is shiro and that his memories of shiro are just his own insanity.

Shiro has his memories warp and he forgets he had a brother and since he isn't given access to his brother he doesnt know about the druids cloning theories.

Things change when Shiros illness causes him to lose a fight in the arena.

The druids realize Shiro isn't as healthy as they thought and start to believe Shiro is the clone and that he is defective.

Shiro's arm is removed and he is put in stasis while they remove Kuro's arm.

After the prothetic surgery Ulaz who believes Kuro to be the champion, helps him escape and sends him to earth.

Keith is there when Kuro is quarantined by the garrison, breaking him out of containment and bringing him and the garrison cadet trio to the shack in the desert.

The trio believe him to be Shiro, Keith doesn't correct them because he isnt certain which brother he rescued yet, the druids made Shiro and Kuro more identical then ever making the appearence differences have been wiped out.

It's late when Kuro wakes and Keith is half asleep at the edge of the bed waiting for him to wake, it takes a moment but soon Keith realizes its Kuro.

Kuro having a identity crisis and doesnt want to be called Kuro because it believes it's Keith identifying him as a clone, he demands to be called Shiro.

Keith believes this means Kuro misses his brother or that it's a coping mechinism cause Shiro is dead or something.

Keith reluctantly calls Kuro, Shiro.

Kuro doesn't have memories of the arena so he has no arena flashbacks, he does though, have druid flashbacks and a crippling fear of them.

Kuro doesn't talk about the cloning the druids spoke of or that he fears he is a clone.

So only Keith and Kuro know there is a Shiro out there while everyone else believe Kuro is Takashi.

\-----more details----

In This AU the druids have no means to create actual clones so the "Shiro clone" found after the black paladin Keith point, is the actual Shiro who has a more violent PTSD due to the arena, while Kuro has a more timid PTSD due to the druids. 

Instead of dying in the Zarkon battle, Kuro is teleported away.

Keith the only one who knows the truth of the twins and kerberos (besides the holts) realizes that Kuro is missing now goes to the blade to find him and he finds Kuro in the quantum abyss,(Without his arm that is obliterated from the final battle)

The time in the quantum abyss with Keith and Krolia help Kuro realize he isn't a clone and is and always has been a twin of Shiro.

Yes Shiro is mind controlled by his arm and when the quantum abyss crew return they have to save him with the info given by Kuro's memories that it's the arm controlling him.

There is a fight between the twins at one point.

The alteans are like the galra and don't have identical twins so when Keith and Kuro come to the castle Allura sees Kuro as a clone and an enemy, Keith has to defend him.

FYI, Krolia spent enough time on earth to know about identical twins.

\----That's all i got-----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It honestly surprises me how many people believe Shiro is the patient and mature adult when his actions show he is very reckless. 
> 
> Like being injured and alone on an alien planet with no known knowledge of, and then LEAVING HIS LION??? SHIRO NO
> 
> Going to central command to rescue Allura without any plan besides "We run in and run out with allura, they won't even notice we were there!"
> 
> Oh yeah and the "Yeah allura can go into the space hub with us, yeah we can go into a ship without back up at said space hub!"
> 
> Shiro is reckless and causiousness. No wonder why he has to remind himself "patience yeilds focus"


	92. My enemy, My friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Lance&Keith, Major Character Death, Altean Lance, Galra Keith, Galtean AU, Childhood Friends, Reincarnation, Daizabaal's Destruction, The Fall Of Altea, Prince Lance, Prince Keith, Lance Is Allura's Twin, Blue Paladin Allura, Betrayal, Dreams

Before the war, before Zarkon turned on altea, they were allied.

Keith was Zarkons first son, a half-breed of galran and altean blood and heir to the galran empire.

Lance was Alfor's only son, full altean and heir to the altean kingdom.

Both had siblings.

For Lance it was his twin sister, Allura, they were the same age but their parents early on decided Lance would take the throne.

For Keith it was his young and sickly brother, Lotor, still a kitling and suffering from a genetic condition their mother is spending all her time trying to cure.

Alteans decide their heir by the king or queens choice.

Galrans usually have litters of three to six kits unlike alteans who usually have one or two, and a tradition was built that the heir was decided by the kits themselves, they would fight each other when they come of age and the winner is the heir.

But as Keith and Lotor were both litters of one due to having an altean mother and because Lotor is so young and sickly, Keith didn't have to fight to become heir, unfortunately that means he has to prove his worth constantly.

Due to both their status' as princes and heirs to their respective planets Keith and Lance grow up together and they grow very close.

When Zarkon betrays Voltron and Daizabaal is destroyed, Keith is on Altea to witness it.

In his grief of losing everything he sides with the galrans and turns on Lance and the Alteans.

Where before he was uncertain where his loyalties were, now he feels betrayed and grief ridden.

He wounds Lance severely, but is forced to flee out of altean territory when he finds himself outnumbered, Keith never makes it off of altea before the empire destroys it.

So while Lance and the castle escape and the lions are sent away, Keith dies.

So Lance is forced into cryo with Allura when it is decided he won't heal in time to make a difference in the battle.

Ten thousands years later the twins and Coran wake up from cryo.

When Lance sees Keith he is like "YOU!"

And Keith is shoked and surprised this alien is angry at him personally as he doesn't remember his last life "...me?"

Keith looks alot like his past self because alteans and humans are so similar, but his past self had violet skin and white hair like Lotor and pointy ears and yellows eyes.

Keith looks completely human now, has no idea about his past life as a galran prince and in his past life his name wasn't Keith in his past life. (I can't think of anything right now)

So the lions are assigned, Allura given blue instead of Lance because as the heir Lances quintessence is the only one that can control wormholes.

After realizing Keith isn't the same person he knew in the past and that ten thousand years has past Lance reluctantly accepts that he isn't the same person.

But Lance has trouble holding back his hurt from the betrayal, and doesn't make nice with Keith.

Soon though after months of bonding with Voltron and battling the empire, Keith confronts Lance about his attitude.

Lance tells Keith that he looks like someone he once knew and it isn't Keith's fault and they bond and become friends.

Lance can't ignore that Keith looks like his old best friend, and he can't help but notice habits Keith has that reminds him of his old friend.

But things aren't as tense now they have become friends as with the rest of Voltron.

It all goes well and Lance believes he can see Keith as his own person and not just the person who isn't his old friend.

And then they go-to the Blade of Marmora base.

And Keith is revealed to be part galra.

Allura feels betrayed begins treating Keith coldly and not acknowledging him.

Lance finds it harder not to look at Keith and see his old friend.

Allura takes the final battle as a chance to apologise to Keith, Lance though, hesitates.

After the battle it's too late, Keith is mourning Shiro and isolating himself to go find Shiro.

When Keith hesitates to bond with Black, Lance takes that moment to make his apology.

Keith bonds with Black and Lance becomes the red paladin.

What Lance doesn't know is that since the battle with Zarkon and the exposure to druid energy, Keith has been having dreams about his past self.

Keith doesn't know it's his past life, but he sees lance and Allura as children, the original Voltron paladins, Zarkon before he is poisoned by quintessence, Lotor sick as a baby and bed ridden with his mother never leaving his side.

But of course Keith never tells anyone.

These dreams makes Keith hesitate during a battle with Lotor, the team doesn't think much about it, until it becomes a regular thing.

It's Keith's hesitation that creates tension in the team.

Unlike in canon, Shiro didn't die in the Zarkon battle, he was ejected and abducted by the druids. No clones and no black lion ghosts.

So instead of clone Shiro coming and making the team unstable it's Keith's own hesitation.

\-----This is when I ran out of ideas----


	93. You fear your power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-   
> Phobias & Fears, Bathophobia, Pyrophobia, Speluncaphobia, Astrophobia, Hylophobia, The Lions Are Elemental Gaurdians, The Paladins Fear Their Assigned Elements

So each of the lions is the gaurdian of an element.

Blue is the gaurdian of water, Red the gaurdian of fire, Black the gaurdian of space, Green the gaurdian of forests, and Yellow the gaurdian of earth.

Coincidencely each paladin fears their lions gaurdian elements.

Lance due to a traumatic incident in childhood fear large bodies of water. 

Growing up on a coast visinting the beach was a regular passtime growing up, one particular day his older sibling who happened to be a seasoned swimmer was caught in a riptide while they were out swimming together.

Lance was closer to shore when his sibling swam out ahead and witnessed them go under the water and not come up, the ensuing incident caused Lance to fear the water deeply to the point that if anyone he knew was to swim he would fear they would drown and he would have no way to save them.

Fire was a large part of Keiths early childhood, his father was a firefighter.

Keith was taught early on that fire was dangerous and was to be always be taken with caution, he never fully understood the danger though, for his father was a firefighter and would always protect him from any bad fire can cause.

It was when Keith's own home was taken by fire that he understood how truely dangerous it was, Keith was home alone as his father had taken a late shift at the firehouse, somehow he managed to escape out the back window before escape became impossible.

What keith wasn't aware of was his father had arrived with the dispatched crew and ran in to look for him, by the time Keith knew his father was inside it was too late, the house had collapsed into itself and Keith was alone.

Shiro didn't fear space before, but when the wonder gave forth to apprehension the endless emptiness of space became something to fear.

Shiro's dream growing up was to travel to the stars, to see and discover what was out beyond the atmostphere, what he found was something he never considered, the galran empire.

The knowledge that humans weren't alone in the universe didn't expand Shiro's wonder for space, the empire's cruelty and power beyond anything ever seen on earth, space was no longer a place to explore, it was a warzone, and the emptiness can go from calm to chaotic in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't until Shiro realized how on edge he was alone in the bridge of the ship with the enormous screens of projected space stretched out before him that he understood how his feelings towards space have changed so.

Hunk wasn't seen as the most fearless of the paladins, but his biggest strength is his ability to overcome his fears in the moment, but some things are harder to overcome then others.

Hunk isn't clausterphobic, nor does he fear the dark too deeply, but something about being deep within the earth, in a cave surrounded by earth all around, the earth itself a barrier capable of disrupting signals needed to call out for help, invisable threats like the air itself becoming thin or poisoned by gasses seeping through the rock, not knowing how stable the earth is or if the ground beneath his feet could give in without warning or the roof above his head could fall in and bury him.

Hunk is unsure where his deep fear of caves came about from, but as he remembers barely keeping himself together when he realized "voltron" was in a desert cave, he knows it is a fear that has sunken deep.

Pidge does not "fear" trees, they do not "fear" nature, but they would never travel to a place in which the trees blocks out the sky and trees span in every direction.

Getting lost in an endless forest with no knowledge of what may of may not be hiding among the trees is what truely makes Pidge uneasy, it is not an issue that has ever come up in their life though, They are an indoor person after all.

They couldn't say for certain the cause, there are several possiblities, a superstitions grown out of proportion, witnessing horror films of unknowns threats within dark trees, growing from learning of the possibilities of what can be there and how easily it would be to get lost, it is hard to pinpoint.

One thing they know for certain, is as they travel down an alien river with trees closing in from either side, they are thankful for Shiro's presence as a distraction from the unease.

\------other things----------

Both Pidge and Hunk have to confront their fears to earn their Lions bond in canon, Pidge jumping into the tangled roots into the unknown and Hunk needing to dig into the earth of a mine without knowing if it would cause a cave in.

Shiro is in constant unease being in a spaceship surrounded by space, no control or sure knowledge of where they are going or if it is truely safe.

Lance, running into keith who is on his way to the castleship pool and panicking at the thought of him being surrounded by water.

Also the baku planet.

Hunk being terrified when he learns the balmera is alive, that the balmera can and will shift and move the cavern walls, cause whats more terrifying? a cave that isn't alive or a cave that is alive and actively dying around you? yup.

I'm kinda drawing a blank at fire scenes in canon... nothing comes to mind besides explosions and lava and lasers and lightning... wtf dreamworks...

But i guess with explosions and laser fire and lightning, comes the smell of burning.

With explosions comes firey blasts of heat and light.

(I'm gonna sleep now)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am extremely sleep deprived right now...


	94. In the end it was quiet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Major Character Death, Quintessence Addiction, Fatal Withdrawal, Basically All Galra Start To Deteriorate From Quintessence Withdrawal, And There Is No Cure

There was a reason the empire was so strongly driven towards quintessence.

There was a reason most galra had the same pupilless glowing eyes.

There was a reason why Lotor was so adimant when he said "satisfy the galrans quintessence needs to create peace for all".

But after Lotor's sins came to light, satisfying the galrans quintessence needs was forgotten.

The blade knew the truth, they arrive towards knowledge after all and their ultamate mission was to die for their cause.

So when the war was won and the empire was stopped no one thought twice about the remaining galrans until they had no choice.

It was subtle.

The lack of quintessence mellowed out most of the remaining soldiers when it started to run out, many just saw it as them accepting the changing status quo.

No one considered anything else.

Until they started to die.

All the galrans with glowing pupilless eyes made up more then 99 percent of the population and every single one of them was completely reliant on quintessence as sustinence.

You see, food is hard to come by on long century long voyages where stopping planetside happens rarely, quintessence was found to be a valuable substitute.

The side effects, the glowing pupilless eyes, the aggression, the reliance.

Once you stop taking quintessence you deteriorate.

You see those with pupils, usually half breeds, they could substitute with normal foods and survive.

The rest, the other over 99 percent, well they have no other options.

It was like a plague, the coilition feared it was some unknown disease, some even feared it would cross to other races.

It wasn't until Kolivan surcomed that Krolia revealed what was happening, but there was nothing that could be done.

There was no way to stop the galran race from dying out.

The druids were the only ones capable of refining quintessence in a consumable way.

Allura, the only other person who might have been able to come up with a solution is gone.

\----thats all I got folks----


	95. Mama Generals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are so many fics of the blade adopting kit Keith but none of Lotor and his generals adopting kit Keith????
> 
> Tags-  
> Ezor/Zethrid, Axca&Keith, Zethrid&Keith, Ezor& Keith, Narti&Keith, Galra Keith, Kit Keith, Keith Gets Separated From The Paladins And Lotor Finds Him, Pre-Blade Trials, Pre-Meeting Ulaz, Galra Transformation, Galra Instincts

This takes place between the point in which Keith suspects he isn't as human as he thought and the point in which spotting Ulaz's blade makes him certain.

At the galactic hug/space base, when Keith is struck purple by the druid, he doesn't smash into the raw quintessence and has to hide his hand when he is retrieved by the green lion.

In this universe, Shiro gets the chance to grabs Allura before she tosses him like a sack of potatoes and they both make it back to the castle.

Allura is scolded by Coran for being reckless, Shiro is tired and sends everyone to bed after debrief, Keith just about runs out of the bridge back to his room.

His hand hasn't turned back to normal, it's still purple and now that he has gotten a good look at it he can see it spreading.

After a week of hiding Keith realizes it has spread to the point the only way to hide it was to keep his paladin armour on with the helmet.

It is edging slowly onto his face.

With the attacks from Zarkon tracking them from everywhere, Keith fears it's somehow his fault and takes a pod and flees into space.

With enough life support power and rations to last three months he chooses a direction and goes.

By the end of the first week the purple has covered his skin completely and the whites of his eyes have gone yellow.

But just when Keith thinks it's over it gets worse, the painless color change turns to aches as his skins starts to grow fur.

His finger and toes burn as his nails fall out and replace with claws.

His emotions starts to get the best of him as his ears and teeth bleed and change.

The pain of the change while not debilitating it makes him break down sobbing.

The time alone that never bothered him before now is scary somehow, the loneliness unbearable.

The rations he had no trouble with before he can't seem to keep down, the taste even somehow changed.

Alone in the pod at just shy of a month, Keith's transformation ends.

He crys out odd sounds in loneliness and fear and hungry.

Keith wants nothing more then to turn around and return to the castle, but as of this moment they have probably wormholes dozens of times and impossible to track down.

It's at this point Keith is located by an empires cruiser and in that moment he feels endlessly helpless.

Unbeknownst to Keith that cruiser is under Lotor's jurisdiction and when his craft fails to answer a comm request it is dragged on board via tractor beam.

When the grunts recognize the pod as altean in design they call Lotor from the bridge, he of course arrives with his generals.

Ezor is cloaked under Acxa's suggestion and caution.

Upon opening the vessel, it isn't what anyone suspected.

The first thing they suspected was a trap set by Voltron, the second an enemy separated from the castle, the third was that the pod was empty and abandoned.

Instead what they heard upon opening the pod were the panicked cries of a kit separated from their pack.

Nearly everyone on board was horrified.

A small scrawny, half starved kit was curled under the pods control panel sobbing and calling for a pack that wasn't there.

Acxa was the first to move, just about teleporting to the kits side to comfort them.

When Axca moved the whole dock unfroze and all the soldier made to move only to be halted by Zethrids protective growling.

While Axca coaxed the kit out of their scared hide, the other generals cleared out the docking bay of anyone who could distress the kit further.

Even Lotor, who was quite stunned at how easily he was evicted from the bay.

The generals then focus everything on helping the distressed kit.

Ezor leaves the bay to retrieve food and nutrients safe for the kit after seeing the plant dense rations in the pod.

Narti wordless leaves to prepare the nesting room for a new addition.

Zethrid stands watch to keep any curious onlookers from straying too close.

Acxa successfully coaxes the kit from his hiding place and carries the half sleeping kit to the nest where Narti awaits.

Zethrid takes her place outside the nest room to stand gaurd while Axca passes the kit off to Narti but not before reassuring him she will be back.

Ezor returns with more suitable galra food for the kits sensitive stomach, nodding to Axca who is heading to the medbay for a scanner and medicines that might be needed.

In the end they are all in the nest room worrying over Keith who is suddenly shown a whole new side he never knew existed in the empire.

It's during the initial scan that it's revealed Keith is a half-breed, Ezor loudly proclaims "gasp youre a half-breed!?" When she spots the results from over Acxa's shoulder earning her a glare from said general.

Keith shrinks in on himself assuming it would be bad from the empire to find out he is part human, instead the generals all exclaim how he is just like them and will fit into the pack perfectly.

Keith is confused about the whole pack terminology and asks what a pack is.

Acxa pipes up to helpfully tell Keith all about galra family groups.

\---

Note Keith isn't just blindly trusting a group of empire generals he just met out of the blue, he is weak and confused after his transformation and starving in a pod for a week.

Right now the generals are the only thing calming his new instincts and that is why he can't help but trust them, it's not a conscious choice.

His instincts refuse to let him reject the generals because of the inner fear of abandonment and the recent memory of how hard the loneliness hit him in the pod all alone.

The generals know this too, they aren't doing it to take advantage to Keith, but they also know if they don't step in he would be vulnerable to everything they had been as half-breed kits in a unforgiving empire.

It is better to take Keith under their wing then to leave him to the empire or the many galra hating planets.

\---

While recovering from his time alone Keith never leaves the company of the generals, there is always one with him at all times.

After the first week and a half of restlessness he is allowed out of the nest room.

Keith instinctively shys away from every galra they pass while out of the nestroom, while still coming the terms with his new instincts this frustrates Keith.

Curiously, Keith isn't fearful of Lotor, curiously watching him from the side of the general babysitting him at the time.

\----

Keith isn't shy of Lotor because Lotor is technically part of the generals pack, but since he is distant and doesn't join in pack nest by choice, the generals instinctively left him out of nursing Keith.

But he spends enough time with the generals that their scent and his linger on each other, so Keith recognizes Lotor as pack and doesn't have stranger danger instincts around him.

\-----

It's not long before Keith realizes where he is, or rather who he is with.

Lotor is the prince of the galran empire and Keith is on his ship.

Or rather on the ship Lotor currently uses as his base of operations.

Keith learns Lotor is in exile and this ship is owned by his father to keep track of him.

That makes Keith curious as to how Lotor got himself exiled.

Keith also learns that the generals are loyal to Lotor not because he is a prince but because they choose to be.

When Keith asks they just say Lotor is worthy of their respect, he has earned it.

In his time on board he never gave the generals his name, fearful they might recognize it as human or as the red paladin.

They don't seem to mind tho, calling him "kit" and other endearing terms instead.

\----Elsewhere----

It's been six months since Keith left the castle via pod during the Zarkon tracking the castle mayhem.

The paladins had discovered Zarkon had been using the witch to track the black lion via his connection.

Shiro had strengthened his connection with black giving the castle reprieve.

At first the castle was curious Keith would leave during the crisis, leaving them without a red lion.

But soon they became worried, by the time they could start following the pods trail they had already wormholes a dozen time and couldn't pinpoint when the pod left the hanger or which direction it was heading.

By the time pidge created a program to locate the pod it had been shut down by Lotor's crew and abandoned.

There was no signal to track.

It wasn't til six months later they found the pod on a trade moon completely stripped of parts and useless to them.

They had lost Keith.

\---thats all I got for now---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm supposed to be packing my room, and prepping my new apartment to move in but I wanted to write this down before I forgot it.


	96. No game no life AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A no game no life Au without the incest undertones.
> 
> Tags-  
> Pidge&Matt, Matt/Shiro, Lance&Keith, Human Matt, Human Pidge, Human Shiro, Human Keith, Elf Hunk, Warbeast Lance, Matt & Pidge Have Separation Anxiety, Keith Has A Temper, Shiro Needs A Break, Genius Matt, Genius Pidge, Angel Coran, This Just Follows The NGNL Plot With Character Swaps, Will Be Confusing Without Prior Knowledge Of The NGNL Plot

Pidge and Matt are known within the gaming world as simply blank.

Through their combined efforts they have never lost a single game be it a simple game or not.

They found themselves social outcasts for most of their lives and learned to solely trust and rely on each other.

Shut in their small apartment after dropping out of their schools they have thrown themselves headlong into the world of gaming.

And that's how they find themselves where they are now...

A suspicious match of chess with the most difficult opponent yet has somehow led them to be transported into a world not their own, by a mischievous God of games named Tet.

After recovering their bearings and their belongings they head towards the nearest town.

A simple game of poker gets them their first win since crossing over to this new world and with it enough for food and a place to rest.

At the tavern though they spot a man facing off against another in a game of poker, he is losing badly.

The siblings notice his opponent is cheating but see no obvious ploy, Matt passes the man and informs him he is being cheated before leaving with Pidge to their room for the night.

The man they now learn is named Shiro confronts them about not helping and since neither Pidge not Matt figured out the ploy they brush Shiro off and tell him he should have noticed himself.

One thing leads to another and Matt and Shiro face off in a game of rock paper scissors.

Shiro is confident a game of chance can't possibly favor either party but is easy taunted by Matt into losing.

Shiro devistated by the loss hangs his head while Matt proclaims what he wants.

When Matt flauntingly proclaims he wants beefcake Shiro to fall in love with him Pidge takes the time to scold him for his idiocy.

But soon Matt and Pidge find themselves staying not at a humble inn, but at a luxurious castle the next day.

Shiro was the prince.

They use the resources the castle grants them to aquire knowledge and advantage in the world they now find themselves in.

It turns out the man Shiro lost to in poker was the very man who plans to win the throne from him.

The man passes them in the morning offhandedly returning the cloak he won from Shiro the day before, Pidge and Matt take the time to observe Keith, as they learn his name.

The siblings decide to challenge him themselves for the throne, in Shiro's place.

Not long after they do face Keith in a game of elaborate chess, the pieces come alive and choose which orders they wish to follow and wish to ignore.

When Pidge is overwhelmed by being unable to find a strategy around it, Matt comes forwards to take control.

But as soon as they gain confidence, their opponent resorts to their mysterious cheating ploys.

It is only when Matt resorts to theatrics that the tables are turned again in their favor and they claim victory.

It is revealed that Keith wanted what was best for humans who were weak in strength, power and magic.

He was using his Elf companion Hunk to cheat and Grant the human kingdom protection under the elves rule.

But in the end the siblings proved that humans needed no protections by overcoming magic cheating through their own means.

It is after this that Matt and Pidge find themselves rulers of the human kingdom.

Through their knowledge and archives brought through their technology they find themselves soon resolving many of the kingdoms problems.

But they are bored.

Despite Shiro's efforts to drag the siblings to take responsibility as the new rulers of the human race, he ends up humiliated instead.

After continually challenging the siblings to game in an effort to force them be productive he finds himself dressed in frilly clothes with animal ears and a tail as well.

Matt and Pidge soon learn the old king bet and lost the collective knowledge of the human race against a flügel who now holes up in the old library.

They are astounded by the recklessness of the old man and ditch Shiro to visit the angel.

The excentric angel is a man named Coran who is easily roped into a game after the siblings prove they are of another world and brought knowledge with them from the other side.

After an extremely dramatic and immensely dangerous game of shiritori which the siblings manage to surprise Coran by winning they are granted access to the entire library and Coran's loyalty.

Matt and Pidge with the knowledge won from Coran plan their next move, which is planning to challenge the warbeasts to a game.

Keith and Hunk make a reappearance, invited to assist the siblings in their plans, much to Keith's frustration.

With no clues what games the warbeasts play and the knowledge they have remained undefeated, the siblings find out the former king was the only one to face the warbeasts game constantly.

Matt's remarks about the former king ends with an argument against him and Shiro who whole heartedly believes in the old man.

After an all nighter Matt realizes why the old king challenged the warbeasts game so many times follows the clues to the old man's secret study.

Within is his journals.

It is revealed the king never sacrificed his memories of the game the warbeasts made, at the price of never being able to reveal the game in his lifetime.

The siblings take the knowledge left by the old king to plan their confrontation of the warbeasts.

Finally travelling to the warbeasts territory the group meet an old warbeasts who appears to be in charge as well as his grandson Lance a foxlike warbeast.

They gather proof of the warbeasts "mind reading" power, and lead it is simply hyper observance they have adapted through their higher senses.

The siblings reveal through dramatics what they uncovered about the game and what the old king left behind and challenge the warbeasts to their own game.

Putting Imanities game piece on the line.

They leave after scheduling the game for a later time.

Later that day Matt leaves Pidge with a farewell like message, as she grows concerned reaching out Matt glitches out of existence.

When Pidge wakes up alone she realizes her brother is gone and no one remembers him.

Pidge refuses to accept it, through her efforts to get there others to remember Matt they grow suspicious and believe Pidge has had her memories altered.

Coran challenges Pidge to a game begging her to lose, at the last moment she turns the game around refusing to ever lose.

Shiro takes Pidges side about Matt's existence and Pidge realizes their collective knowledge of the past few days are gone.

Through back tracking the plans against the warbeasts Pidge realizes Matt challenged Keith in a game that bet his existence to gain their loyalties,

Matt sacrificed his existence and Pidge returned to win the game in his place.

The game is won and Matt returns.

Keith gains Matt's memories and the knowledge of his plans, Keith realizes the siblings aren't as folish as they seem.

Hunk finds himself distressed at the knowledge he and Keith will act as spies... Keith just laughs it off promising to fill him in later.

The next day the castle finds itself witness to the riots of the citizens in a panic over the siblings plan to beg their very lives against the war beasts.

\---tbc---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just kinda had the intrusive thought that "aren't Matt and Pidge a good genius sibling pair" and this happened...
> 
> Also I wanted naive prince Shiro and Lance as the warbeast sharpshooter


	97. Fading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags-  
> Major Character Death, Keith&Voltron Lions, Character Turned Into A Ghost, Voltron Lion Voodoo, No One Knows, Keith Suspects, The Lions Know, Blue Was Close To Keith's Parents, Druids, Quintessence Immortality, Nightmares, Partial Amnesia, Zarkon Is Obsessed

After getting booted from the garrison and running away to live in the desert, but before Shiro crashes into the desert.

An accident happens at some point, Keith wakes up in the gliph cave with no idea how he got there, before this point he never noticed Blue's energy but now he feels her calling for him to live and search.

What happened was Keith got into a hoverbike accident on his way back from town, he was severely injured with no help around for miles and didn't make it.

Blue was devistated as she had know both of keith's parents and grew fond of them and Keith as they lived in the desert and protected her... Blue "resurrected" Keith in her cave by linking his quintessence to hers, before this he was never meant to become a paladin, but Blue's meddling changed his quintessence making it more adaptive. (hence why he can fly more then one lion)

Keith knows none of this, the memories of his death and the time leading up to it of blank, he only remembers going to bed in the shack and waking up in a cave.

Now he can feel the energy and Blue's calling to him, Keith starts digging into the link between the energy, caves and what Blue calls "the arrival". He feels he finally has something to strive for and isn't lost as he was when he first left the garrison.

Keith is so distracted by Blue he doesn't notice some changes in himself.

Like how the sun doesn't burn like it used to no matter how long he stays in the sun, he doesn't hunger or thirst even when he forgets to eat or drink, any injuries seem to only appear when he expects them to (like if he tripped and caught himself on his bare hand he would only see cuts on his hand if he thinks "the rocks i cause myself on are sharp, i probably got a bad cut from that") but if he forgets about an injury the pain and injury will instantly vanish without a trace.

He doesn't know now his body is made up of pure quintessence and it doesn't work like a human body would or should.

He also doesn't notice or question his hoverbike either, which blue replaced with pure quintessance as well. Which seems to run for longer on far less fuel then he remembers or seems to always be parked convienently where he needs it to be.

Like on the night of the arrival, when in the evening before hand he parked the bike in the shed, but as he runs out to catch the mysterious object crashing to the earth, it's convienently parked out front and is somehow able to manage the weight of five passengers when the carry limit is barely three.

He doesn't begin to question things until after they arrive in space.

Allura notices his strangely adaptive quintessence and thinks nothing of it, distracted by the oncoming war and her fresh grief, she only finds it convienent as none of the other humans would easily have been placed in the red lion.

Over time Keith does notice how open all the lions seem to be to him, when the alteans made it very clear the lions are strictly one paladin a lion and very picky, he chooses not to bring it up.

Though he does spend alot more time in the lion's hangers then the other paladins, he finds himself strangely more relaxed when around the lions.

Since he is literally made of the lions quintessence the closer he is to them the more comfortable he is in his own skin, cause they are connected beyond that of the paladin/lion bonds.

It's after the first realy battle together, when Sendak tries to take over the castle, when the night mares begin.

Keith begins unknowingly dreaming about his own death, of feeling overwelming loneliness and abandonment as he slowly surcomes to his injuries after the hoverbike crash, it leaves him deeply uneasy long after awaking.

The nightmare doesn't repeat everynight, but it does become a regular thing.

Enough so he can routinely be found training late into the night again the training droid, losing track of tiem while endlessly fighting.

Strangely the fatigue of his nightly training doesnt catch up to him, so it's no wonder the other paladins haven't noticed.

When he isn't in the training room late at night, he can be found within the lion's hangers.

Night seems to be the best time to spend with the blue/yellow/red lions as he won't be caught by Hunk or Lance and questioned why he is in their lions, even if the lions are pretty good at warning him when someone is coming.

The green and black lion are more difficult, Pidge can be found sleeping in the green lions hanger more often then not since she has set up shop there and Shiro has been known to awaken in the night and visit the black lion if not the observation deck.

When he arrives after a nightmare the Blue lion is the quietest of the lions, she personally knows what they are and what they mean.

The other lions know too, but they aren't as attached, they didn't know Keith's parents like Blue did and they didn't get attached.

The lions are only attached to Keith now because he is a part of Blue, meaning he is a part of voltron.

\----some more ideas----

Keith cannot be too far away from the lions.

During the final attack on central command when the komar attacks the lions, Keith literally fades from existance and only comes back when the lions come back online, cause Keith is pure quintessence and connected to the lions.

The druids definitely notice Keith is made of pure quintessence, when he is zapped and his hand turns purple its not because of his galran heritage, he is completely oblivious to his heritage and his new body only reacts to what knowledge he already has, it turns purple cause the druids quintessence is purple and they corrupted Keith's when they hit him, the raw quintessence fixes it cause it over powers the corrupted quintessence.

Lance catches Keith in Blue's hanger and gets insecure when Blue doesn't tell him why. This leads to Lance getting worked up about "Keith stealing blue".

The lions, cannot and will not form voltron without Keith, they refuse, because they know Keith will leave the castle of lions if given the chance and they don't want to lose him.

Keith literally feels Zarkon, because they are both connected to voltron, Keith is unsettled by this because whenever Zarkon tracks them he can feel Zarkon probing the black lion.

Red is so willing to fly without Keith in the cockpit to save Keith so often is because of Keith being a literal part of voltron, hence why the other lions aren't as eager to run after their paladins as much.

The druids wanting to use Keith as a guinea pig.

Zarkon wanting to own Keith along side the rest of voltron when he realizes he can use Keith to make voltron obey without paladins.

Keith realizing he is an actual ghost when he is injured on a mission and tries to hide it by telling the team he is fine and the lions healing him when he gets back to red's cockpit. (like wound/blood completely gone only the torn suit remains as evidence)

The lions tell Keith the truth After that incident, and Blue and Keith have a heart to heart.

The Team doesn't find out for a long while, most likely during a dramatic event where keith is fatally injured and he just gets right back up and says "I'm okay"

Keith is very disturbed by his new found fragile immortality btw, he can literally live for as long as the lions are alive and he stays with them.

When the others find out Keith is literally a ghost and he died alone in the desert they are devistated, Shiro especially.

It kinda haunts them for a while, it haunts Keith too.

\----Welp I'm outta ideas!---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one popped into my mind a short while ago.
> 
> The what if Keith died in the desert all alone and no one was there... but I couldn't just leave it there cause that'd suck...
> 
> I was tempted to have Keith trapped in the Blue lions abyss to haunt Lance, but I'll save that for another idea.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> This is my first time sharing fanfics... (I usually do original fiction)  
> Sorry if the format is all over the place, I am more of a visual artist then a writer...  
> And dialog is my biggest weakness... so you wont be seeing alot of that...
> 
> If you wish to use any of my ideas you can feel free to! I'd love to see what you do with them!
> 
> ALSO! I live for criticism! Just rip my throat out with judgement please!


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